Auto or Car Recycling Facts and Figures

Facts about car or automobile recycling

Source: https://www.thebalance.com
According to auto recycling statistics, the car you are driving today will be a good
source of many recyclable materials tomorrow when it comes time to recycle your
ride. In fact, around 80 percent of a car can be recycled. It should be pointed out
that a good deal of recycling takes place while your car is still in service, through
automotive aftermarket recycling.
Lets have a look at some basic facts and figures pertaining to auto or car recycling:
1. Every year, over 25 million tons of materials are recycled from old vehicles.
2. Automobiles are the most recycled consumer product in the world today.
3. The car recycling Industry is the 16th largest in the United States, contributing
$25 billion per year to the national GDP. The US automotive recycling industry
employs around 100,000 people and earns around $25 billion a year. There
are around 7,000 vehicle recycling facilities around the USA.
4. Every year, automobile recycling industry in USA and Canada provides
sufficient steel to produce roughly 13 million new vehicles.
5. In the U.S., nearly 12 million cars are recycled. This number makes cars the
most recycled item in the country.
6. In Europe, every year, nearly eight million vehicles are recycled.
7. Every year, the North American automotive recycling industry saves around
85 million barrels of oil from getting used in making new or replacement auto
parts.
8. The current international automotive recycling industry is about 75 years old.
9. According to reports, the gross annual revenue in 1997 in USA was $7.05
billion and in Canada was $1.15 billion. In the same year, auto recyclers in
USA and Canada acquired approximately 4.7 million vehicles for recycling. In
that year, 6 million car tires and 11 millions of car oil were recycled. And

automotive recyclers spent approximately $50 million on environmental

compliance.
10. Across North America, automotive recycling provides around 40 percent of
ferrous metal for scrap processing industry.
11. Every year, the amount of hazardous fluids and oils reclaimed safely by auto
recyclers is equal to 8 Exxon Valdez disasters!
12. Most auto recyclers are small businesses. More than 75 percent of all
automotive recycling companies employ about 10 people.
13. Automotive recyclers supply retail and wholesale customers with quality auto
parts that cost 20 percent to 80 percent less than comparable new auto parts.
14. Every year, more than 14 million tons of recycled steel in derived from junk
vehicles. On an average, a car has around 25 percent of body made from
recycled steel.
15. Every year, around 27 million cars that reach the end of their useful life from
around the world are recovered for recycling.
16. Just about 80 percent of a vehicle (by weight) is recycled and the remaining
20 percent that cant be recycled is termed as auto shredder residue (ASR)
which includes ferrous and nonferrous metal pieces, dirt, glass, fabric, paper,
wood, rubber and plastic. Every year, around 5 million tons of ASR is
disposed of in landfills.
17. In Europe, 75 percent of a car is recycled; making the ASR items 25 percent
of the car. According to an estimate, in Europe, recycling facilities will recycle
95 percent of each car, by weight.
18. Approximately 90 percent of aluminum of a vehicle is recovered and recycled.
Although this aluminum recovered from old vehicle represents less than 10%
the vehicle by weight, it accounts for nearly 50 percent vehicles scrap value.
19. Automotive recycling industry supplies around 37 percent of all ferrous metal
to blast furnaces and smelters across the United States of America.
20. Approximately 98- 99 percent of car batteries can be recycled. But most car
owners simply return their car battery to the shop from where they replace car
battery.
21. Car tire recycling is viable and material can be used to produce sandals and
roadways.

22. Automotive recycling reduces accident rates by buying out of order vehicles
from the road and keeping roads and highways clear of disabled and
abandoned automobiles.
23. Increasingly, car windshield recycling is becoming practiced.
All of the above-mentioned facts and figures about auto recycling demonstrate that
the worldwide auto recycling industry a vibrant and entrepreneurial industry.