What Can Be Recycled in a Junk Car?

If you think about how many parts on your car get replaced over the years, you can see that it is a lot.  This includes old tires, depleted car batteries, used engine oil, brake pads, and much more. Although these components were meant to be replaced on a regular basis, they should still be recycled and refurbished a much as possible. There are some common parts of a car that are recycled every day. 

Continue reading to learn about what car parts can be recycled, and where to recycle them here in Central Indiana.

Indianapolis Indiana Automotive Recycling 1-888-586-5322
Indianapolis Indiana Automotive Recycling 1-888-586-5322

Auto Parts That Can Be Recycled

Motor Oil

One of the most common components in a vehicle that can, and should be, recycled, is oil. Any conventional motor oils are recyclable. You simply take them to your local recycling center, and they clean it up and distribute it for reuse. Your vehicle goes through a lot of oil changes and fluid changes over the years, so be sure to recycle these fluids to help increase sustainability in our environment. If you are having your fluids and oils changed professionally, they are most likely already being saved for recycling.

Automotive Fluids

Besides oil, fluids such as coolant, gasoline, and refrigerant, are reusable. Battery acid can be recycled into sodium sulfate, a white powder used in laundry detergents, glass, and other textiles. Oil filters are also recyclable. You can save these and drop them off at a recycling center as well.

Ferrous and Non-Ferrous Metal

Anything metal in a car can also be recycled. On average, cars are made of up nearly 70 percent iron and steel. These two metals are always in demand and can be reused over and over again. Vehicles can also contain car parts made of aluminum, copper, zinc, magnesium, and brass. These too can be recycled and reused. From catalytic converters to car batteries, anything made of metal can be recycled in a vehicle.

Plastic and Rubber

Tires are another popular car component to recycle. Rubber can be melted down multiple times to create new products and parts in other industries. Plastic is also found in cars, such as bumpers and interior frames.  This can also be recycled. Tires are known to be recycled into new tires, floor mats, splash shields, and even brake pedals.

Do you have old or broken auto parts you would like to recycle? Contact Garden City Iron & Metal at 1-888-586-5322 for automotive recycling services in Indianapolis, Indiana. Our scrappers pay cash on the spot for all metal and junk cars!

You Should Also Read:

Frequently Asked Questions About Junk Car Recycling
How to Safely Get Rid of a Used Car Battery
What is This Junk Car Worth?

Garden City Iron and Metal 1-888-586-5322
Garden City Iron and Metal 1-888-586-5322

Top 2 Technologies Used to Determine Metal Composition

The need to ascertain metal composition accurately and expediently is vital to the evolving scrap metal recycling enterprises today. When you take your scrap metal to a local metal recycling center, they will analyze your freight of metal and metal-containing commodities using a wide range of technologies, including XRF analyzers and x-ray radiation technologies like laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS).

Continue reading to learn more about these two types of metal analyzing technologies, and who to trust with highest payouts for your scrap in Indiana.

Indianapolis Scrap Metal Buyers 1-888-586-5322
Indianapolis Scrap Metal Buyers 1-888-586-5322

X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF)

XRF metal analyzers, or X-Ray Fluorescence-based technology, one the most commonly-applied metal analyzing process used among modern day scrap yards and metal recycling centers. Not only is an excerpt metal in lesser nondestructive method of confirming a metals composition, but as a handheld device, it is convenient and easy to use by anyone who is trained in the technology. Although these devices have remained a primary and go-to source of metal analyzation in the past few decades, a new metal analyzing technology has emerged in the scrap metal recycling industry known as laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy, or simply LIBS.

Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS)

Recently, laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) technology has been introduced to the metal scrubbing industry. As an innovative x-ray radiation technology, LIBS can help scrap metal recycling centers pinpoint and verify the metal composition within a commodity. The device accomplishes this by using short-pulse low-energy laser beams that trigger laser ablation; as a result, scrappers get a precise sample analysis without the risk of radiation exposure. It is most applied to nonferrous metal analyzation processes, namely aluminum.

Primary Differences Between the Two Metal Analyzing Technologies

LIBS is most suitable for analyzing and sorting nonferrous materials like aluminum, magnesium, and titanium grade metals. As for most other metal analyzing applications, x-ray radiation technologies are still the best option, especially for heavy metals, positive material identification precision requirements, stainless steel, and high temperature alloys.

Do you have left over metal materials or scrap metal to recycle for cash in Indiana? Contact Garden City Iron & Metal at 1-888-586-5322 to recycle scrap metal in Indianapolis and make the most profit in town. We accept all metal and metal commodities, especially vehicles!

You Might Also Enjoy:

What To Do With Leftover Construction Scrap
What are Heavy Metals?
Comparing 409, 439, and 430 Stainless Steel Sheet Metal

Garden City Iron and Metal 1-888-586-5322
Garden City Iron and Metal 1-888-586-5322