Are they just used car parts?

At Advanced for Ford & Holden our vehicle parts are more than just salvaged used parts. They are a part of a worldwide trend that’s going on currently called green recycling. Governments both local, national and around the world are focused on recycling at every level and what is interesting, is that the automotive industry has been involved in green recycling long before it became trendy and for long as we can remember.
    
The term “used car parts” does not carry a positive branding message in the mind of some end users. However every time you purchase a used car part you are contributing directly to the green recycling effort.

In the USA there is a trend to see a “Green Recycled Parts” label used for the Automotive Dismantling industry. An American organization called the Automotive Recycling Association is building a global brand synergy that has the potential to make a big difference in the minds of sellers and consumers alike.

We all need to think a little different. There are misconceptions within the automotive repair and collision repair community throughout New Zealand. We have seen this from time to time with a reluctance to consider using a used car part as a solution to a repair problem, often looking toward using new parts instead of a lower cost green solution that the dismantler like Advanced for Ford & Holden can offer.

More in-depth information can be found about the Green Recycled Parts program simply by visiting, www.GreenRecycledParts.com

What happens to dead vehicles?

Most deregistered vehicles, after the usable parts are removed, are crushed and shredded to recover the iron and steel. After the ferrous material is magnetically separated, the remaining metal is made up of non-ferrous metals like copper and aluminum. There are other materials like rubber and some plastics. These are separated and then used in recycling.

Brake Pads and Shoes
Vehicle brake pads and shoes are made from a combination of synthetic materials and copper. Since 1998, the use of copper in automobile brake pads has increased. Most brake pads today contain between 15 to 30% copper. There is a move currently to reduce the copper content in you brake system as the copper dust created does end up in the oceans and streams. You can see the copper dust or what we know as brake dust on you wheels and mags. Copper we know, even in minute amounts has a harmful effect on marine life by damaging the reproductive cycle.
Recycling means less mining of mineral resources, saves on landfill and less energy to extract copper than manufacture.

Windshields and other Auto Glass
The glass in vehicles can be an issue in recycling. The crushed and shredded vehicle can contain between up to 15% of glass coming from the windshields, side windows and sunroofs, most of which is not normally recovered and can end up in landfills.

Most windshields are made with a layer of Polyvinyl Butyrate, a strong binding and a tough, flexible resin that preserves the visual clearness.

This mixture makes windshields a contaminant and few companies have the technology to remove that inner contaminant layer. Glass is best recycled into applications like asphalt, landscape materials and artificial sand. Automotive glass should be removed if in good condition, stored and reused again in vehicles.

Oil Filters
Used oil filters are perfect for recycling because they are made of steel. Steel is the number one recycled material in America. Recycling steel and oil from filters saves non-renewable resources from being landfilled.

Just one ton of oil filters can yield around 770Kg of steel. The correct recycling oil filters can prevent oil from contaminating both soil and water.

Vehicle Accessories
Our vehicles would look strange without accessories; things like badges, roof racks, tow bars, floor mats, seat covers, audio systems and wheel rims. Many of these automotive items have a shorter lifespan than the actual vehicle, and it is important to explore the options of recycling when you no longer want them or you need to replace or upgrade them. Thanks to advances in technology, everything from floor mats and instrument panels to upholstery, aluminum and steel can be recycled for use in new automobiles or other applications.

The environmental benefits of recycling accessories can be; Conserves resources such as oil, steel and aluminum, the base materials for many auto accessories. Reduces greenhouse gas emissions caused by the manufacturing of products from virgin resources.

According to American figures recycling vehicles and their parts saves an estimated 85 million barrels of oil a year. Not bad we think.

July 2012