How Recycling Vehicles Can Save Millions of Barrels of Oil

Everyone is talking about the skyrocketing price of gasoline. Americas dependence on foreign oil has been the subject of much scrutiny, and a desire to find ways to release the tethers of oil dependence. One of the most popular ways is to find alternative sources for fuel.

However, many people don't realize that a cost-effective and green way to partially release those tethers is by recycling used auto parts and automobiles. According to the Automotive Recyclers Association, recycling vehicles saves a projected 85 million barrels of oil per year, which would have been used in the manufacturing of new parts.

Not only do recycling cars and automotive parts create less of an impact on oil used per capita, recycling also makes a positive environmental impact. Imagine driving down a rural highway and looking to your left and then right. House after house, farm after farm might have cars and trucks deteriorating in the yard. Each of these vehicles leaks engine fluids scarring and polluting the earth.

While those cars piled up along that highway are posing potential environmental hazards, professional automotive recyclers must comply with a list of local and federal laws that deal with waste generated by those salvaged cars and trucks. In addition to keeping the land free of the pollutants from abandoned cars and trucks, recycling can potentially produce enough steel for car manufacturers to produce another 13 million new vehicles, according to the ARA.

Recycling those cars could also lead to potential income for not only the owners who sell their seemingly worthless cars and trucks, but also for the recyclers. When automobile recyclers process old cars, parts are salvaged before the car is reduced to scrap metal. Once these parts are refurbished, they can be made available at local parts stores and through the Internet at a substantially cheaper price sometimes up to 50 percent cheaper.

Since many automobile recyclers maintain a database of cars and/or car parts available, these recycled parts could be of great benefit for the many car enthusiasts around the world. Those enthusiasts would likely find parts much easier for their pet projects. After all what is a refurbished car but a completely recycled car?

While a junkyard or landfill could house the leftovers from all those used and abused cars, why not recycle? Recycling auto parts not only makes sense for the environment but for everyones wallet, so think twice the next time the need arises.