According to auto recycling statistics, the car you are driving today will be a good source of many recyclable materials when it comes time to retire your ride. In fact, around 80% of a car can be recycled.
Much of that takes place while your car is still in service, through automotive aftermarket recycling. Let’s have a look at some basic facts and figures pertaining to auto or car recycling:
- Every year, over 25 million tons of material is recycled from old vehicles.
- Automobiles are the most recycled consumer product in the world today.
- The car recycling industry is the 16th largest in the United States, contributing $25 billion a year to the national GDP. The U.S. automotive recycling industry employs around 100,000 people and earns around $25 billion a year.
- Every year, the automobile recycling industry in the U.S. and Canada provides sufficient steel to produce roughly 13 million new vehicles.
- Every year, the North American automotive recycling industry saves around 85 million barrels of oil.
- The current international automotive recycling industry is about 75 years old.
- Across North America, automotive recycling provides around 40% of ferrous metal for the scrap processing industry.
- Every year, the amount of hazardous fluids and oils safely reclaimed by auto recyclers is equal to eight Exxon Valdez disasters!
- Most auto recyclers are small businesses, with over 75% of all automotive recycling companies employing about 10 people.
- Automotive recyclers supply retail and wholesale customers with quality auto parts that cost 20% to 80% less than comparable new auto parts.
- Every year, more than 14 million tons of recycled steel is derived from junk vehicles. On average, a car has around 25% of its body made from recycled steel.
- Every year, around 27 million cars that reach the end of their useful life from around the world are recovered for recycling.
- Just about 80% of a vehicle (by weight) is recycled and the remaining 20% that can’t be recycled is termed “auto shredder residue (ASR),” which includes ferrous and nonferrous metal pieces, dirt, glass, fabric, paper, wood, rubber, and plastic.
- In Europe, 75% of a car is recycled.
- Approximately 90% of a vehicle's aluminum is recovered and recycled. Although this represents less than 10% of the vehicle by weight, it is nearly 50% by scrap value.
- The automotive recycling industry supplies around 37% of all ferrous metal to blast furnaces and smelters across the United States.
- Approximately 98% to 99% of car batteries can be recycled.
- Car tire recycling is viable and material can be used to produce sandals and roadways.
- 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.
- Increasingly, car windshield recycling is becoming common.
All of the above-mentioned facts and figures about auto recycling demonstrate that the worldwide auto recycling industry is a vibrant and entrepreneurial business opportunity.