Your automobile has many parts that are recyclable. Lots of parts might be melted down and refined for use in manufacturing. Others might undergo refurbishment to help auto owners repair their vehicles. According to Statista, the United States produced more than 9 million autos in 2021. With millions of vehicles produced every year, many also wind up being recycled. Here are four fascinating facts about auto recycling in the United States.

1. The Industry Employs 100,000+ Workers

Thousands of locations exist throughout the nation that employ dozens of workers to handle the recycling of various types of vehicles. According to the Automotive Recyclers Association, more than 140,000 people work at over 9,000 auto recycling locations throughout the United States. That means most states have hundreds of recycling centers where automobiles that no longer have any service life are reborn.

2. Vehicles Are the Nation’s Most Recycled Products

A large portion of automobiles end up being recycled at some point. Clearly, the size of automobiles and the fact they contain steel and other metals make them obvious candidates for recycling. After all, you can’t just throw away an old car, but you can recycle it. According to Utires, about 86% of all vehicles sold in the United States wind up undergoing recycling.

3. Most Auto Parts Are Recyclable

Another reason why auto recycling occurs at such high rates is that the materials are very recyclable. The steel frames and bodies, aluminum bumpers and wheels, and auto glass are just a few of the many materials that are suitable for recycling. We've seen that catalytic converters contain precious metals that make them lucrative targets for theft due to the ability to extract and refine substances, like rhodium, platinum, and palladium. Even liquids, like coolant, oil, and washer fluid, are recyclable. The ability to recycle automobiles means they hold value even when totaled and are no longer useful.

4. Steel Is the Most Recyclable Material

There are two ways to generate raw steel for manufacturing and industrial processes, according to ArcelorMittal, a climate research organization. One is to mine for iron ore, ship it to a steel plant, and forge it into useful steel. The other is to recycle existing steel products, like automobiles. Vehicle recycling centers can strip down a vehicle, send various components for recycling elsewhere, and crush the remaining steel into cubes for further recycling.

Are you interested in learning more about the automobile recycling industry? You can learn more about it and schedule a pickup for your junk vehicle by giving Sunrise Salvage & Transport a call today. We're happy to help you learn what it's worth.