If you have an old car you need to get rid of, and it's not fit for selling, you should consider using auto recycling services. These services can help make society cleaner, reduce waste, and protect the environment, among other things. Let's take a closer look.

A Quick Look at Auto Recycling Services

Auto recycling services can take a vehicle, break it down, and then harvest the reusable and recyclable parts and materials. Cars are typically made with a lot of metal. The good news is that many metals are relatively easy to recycle. The metal can be broken down and used to make new products.

Some folks don't even realize that car recycling programs exist. You may see cars abandoned along the side of the road or rusting away in someone's backyard. In these cases, it could be because the individual simply doesn't realize they could have their vehicle recycled. Getting vehicles recycled can reduce eyesores and hassles.

How Recycling Protects the Environment

The world has limited resources, and human activity can reshape the environment for the worse. Many people are aware that driving cars can create greenhouse gases because fuel is being burned. However, producing cars can also create a lot of greenhouse gases. Among other things, extracting metal from nature creates emissions and can also destroy local environments.

Fortunately, roughly 80% or so of a vehicle (by weight) can recycled, according to LiveAbout, a journalism publication. The rest that can't be recycled is considered "auto shredder residue" (ASR) and includes ferrous and nonferrous metal pieces, dirt, glass, fabric, paper, wood, rubber, and plastic. When vehicles are recycled, it means less metal and other materials will need to be extracted from the environment. Thus, recycling a car can protect nature, not only for right now but also for future generations. Given all the benefits provided by auto recycling services, it's no wonder they're so popular.

A vehicle that's wasting away may present safety risks. For example, kids might be playing in your backyard and end up hurting themselves if they run into a sharp edge. If a vehicle is left on the side of the road, it may create debris that could pop tires and cause accidents. Whatever the scenario, in many cases, the situation could have been avoided simply by recycling the car. Contact Sunrise Salvage & Transport today to get started with our recycling services.