Every year, new cars are sold by the millions. Sadly, most of them eventually end up either crushed or scrapped.
Some vintage cars on the other hand, have their rare appeal that often makes them worth more than 2-10 times their original selling price.
Unfortunately, most old cars are not that special at all.
When your car is no longer in use or significantly depreciates in value, you may choose to scrap it.
During the process of getting your vehicle scrapped, every component is removed and disposed of safely. Some parts can be repaired, resold, or recycled as scrap metal.
Since car scrapping saves on the energy of metal production, it is considered environmentally friendly, too.
Also, sending your car to the scrap yard will ensure no toxic fluids are leaked into the environment since fluids are drained and put into tanks before the car body is crushed into small pieces.
Things You Must Know Before Scrapping Cars
Before you decide to dive in and scrap your vehicle, consider that it must be done by a legal service provider that follows the government regulations surrounding car scrapping.
You will also have to make sure you provide all your vehicle documents to prove your ownership of the car and its registration to the scrapper.
The Vehicle Depollution Steps
Once you have gathered all the necessary documentation and your car has been collected, we will start to depollute and scrap your car.
During this process, car components that could potentially be harmful are separated and removed to avoid any negative contributions to the environment.
- Hazardous Materials
To begin with, hazardous materials such as the car battery will be removed.
Car batteries contain sulfuric acid and mercury which is toxic and corrosive. If it is not detached properly, it will likely leak, which can lead to chemical explosions and water or soil contamination long after the scrapping has taken place.
- Tyres
Car tyres are removed and taken to a specialist recycler. If the tyres are in good condition, they can be re-used, otherwise they will need to be disposed of.
During the recycling process, the tyres will be heated to an extremely high temperature.
- Gas Tanks & Safety Tools
The Petrol, Diesel, or LPG tanks will be removed. This can be a delicate process, particularly for LPG tanks that can explode if not handled properly.
- Airbags & Seat Belts
The seatbelts and airbags are also removed at this point. Airbags contain some chemicals that can be explosive when disposed of. They can be extremely dangerous if they are not discharged properly.
Surprisingly, and much like airbags, seatbelts can also contain hazardous material and harmful chemicals. Seatbelts are built with a pretensioner that uses an explosive charge to tighten during an accident, so they also need to be disposed of carefully.
- Draining Liquids
Any liquid that is deemed hazardous will be disposed of, such as the car’s fuel, oils, anti-freeze, and coolants. They are carefully disposed to avoid any possible contamination of water, soil, or air pollution. Some of these liquids can also be recycled.
- Catalytic Converter
Not all cars will have a catalytic converter. If your car does, it will also need to be extracted. Throughout the lifetime of your vehicle, it may contain various pollutants.
While your car is being scrapped, it will be connected to a drain for safe drainage of the necessary liquids, which will then be pumped into sealed tanks.
Once the plastic, rubber, and glass parts have been removed, the metal components of the vehicle are ready for recycling.
Recycling metal and steel can save energy, as less energy is used to turn scrap metal into new products, than is required to produce new metal from scratch.
Once your car has been depolluted and everything re-usable and harmful has been taken out of it, it is safe for it to be crushed and scrapped.
The most efficient, industrial grade tools will be used to scrap your car.
At this point, giant metal hammers are used to shred the remaining parts of the car. During this process, they will break it down into smaller pieces.
Different materials, such as metals, plastics, and fibres, will probably be separated so that they can be easily recycled.
Lastly (and very importantly), after your car has been sold to be scrapped and recycled, you will need to inform the relevant authorities that you are no longer the owner of the vehicle. At this point the law requires you to cancel the registration.
If you do not notify the government of the change in ownership, tax charges and other penalties may still be sent your way. Plus, you may also be entitled to a refund on any unused portion of your vehicle registration.
Final Thoughts
Behind the scenes, the process of scrapping a car is a complex beast. Compliance with government legislation and environmental law is particularly important.
Luckily for you, the customer, we make the process simple:
- Simply give us a call to get a quote, and collection date.
- Clear your car out and find the ownership documents.
- Once we arrive, we will fill out a few documents, make payment and take the car away.
- Then, do not forget to report the change of ownership to the state government.
To get your quote and arrange collection today, give us a call on 0444 516 125.
