The Step-by-Step Process of Junking a Car
Vehicle junking, vehicle scrapping, or vehicle recycling is a fairly common practice. Every year in the United States alone, an average of about 13 million cars are scrapped and junked for recyclables. Though the art of recycling metal dates back to the industrial revolution, it wasn’t until after the 1950’s that car junking became popular.
Car junking is the process of dismantling a car for spare parts to be exchanged for value or used as recyclable materials. Modern cars are now designed so that up to 85% of their contents can be recycled, and the rest ends up in a landfill.
It’s fairly common for car owners whose vehicles have reached the end of their usable life to discard and abandon them on the road. This becomes a hazard for public and environmental health since 28.8 million tons of dangerous waste are generated annually in the US alone. Junking a car is something anyone should consider when attempting to get rid of an old vehicle that has now lived through its lifespan. It’s clean, it’s easy, and it helps protect the environment.
Here’s how the process works.
Steps to junking a car
Before a car junker can start the process of putting the shell of a car under the crusher, they have to follow a careful set of steps to ensure their safety and the safety of others:
- Use of Personal Protection Equipment
All personnel must follow safety procedures, and that includes the use of PPE. Before junking a car, the person in charge should wear safety boots with steel toes, eye goggles, work coveralls, and gloves. A fire extinguisher and eye washing station should be closely available as well.
- Inspection
The process of inspection is vital. Discarded cars must be inspected for leaks, water, or soil contamination. Every inch and corner of a car must be carefully examined before moving on to the next step of the scrapping process.
- Removing Hazardous Material
Though this one is self-explanatory, cars contain all kinds of dangerous materials and fluids that must be removed. All the fluids in the gas tank must be drained, radiators, transmission, steering units, and all leaking fluids must be emptied. Batteries, refrigerants, antifreeze, brake fluids, oil, windshield washer fluid, mercury switches and anything made out of lead must also be withdrawn from the vehicle.
On average, a car can discard about 19 liters of fluid.
Other non-dangerous waste like plastic, glass shards, dirt, tires, and empty containers must be fished out too.
- Dismantling For Recycling
Parts in good condition can be salvaged or sold to automotive repair shops or other individuals for a profit. They can also be recycled; many metal and plastic recycling companies will help with the process.
- Storing the “shells”
Once the car has been inspected, all hazardous materials have been removed, and all useful parts of the vehicle have been selected, the “shell” of the car is momentarily stored. At the same time, the junk yard makes sure all hazardous substances have been sent to a hazardous waste facility.
- Crushing the car shell
The car is then sent to the metal crusher. The crusher is a massive hydraulic piston with a diesel motor that generates more than 150 tons of force on the vehicle scrap. This process flattens and compacts the vehicle into a log or rectangular bulk, making it easy to store.
What are the advantages of car junking?
Junking a car is not only accessible in practice since professionals do it for you, but it has a lot of personal and environmental benefits. It saves energy and natural resources through recycling, reducing the energy consumption of metal production companies by almost 74%. Customers can find used car parts in excellent condition if they’re looking for more affordable options than the auto shop. Those same usable parts can be resold and repurposed, therefore saving space in wastelands and waste facilities while being eco-friendly at the same time.
So if you have an old car that no longer works in your backyard or sitting alone in your driveway, it might be a good idea to take it to the nearest junkyard.
In fact, if you are in the Maryland area, Mr. Junk Cars can take care of it for you! Give us a call at (301) 769 7361 or send us an email. We will certainly assist you in junking that old car gathering rust in your home.