The old broken down automobile is not often thought of as being an eco-friendly product. Thuth be told it is not, but at least all those old cars are being put to some good use after their death. Not quite cradle to cradle, more like cradle to grave, with an afterlife.
The modern automobile is one of the most-recycled products in the world, with 95 percent of all scrapped vehicles reclaimed.
The recycling rate for cars and trucks is higher than most other consumer products, including newspapers (74 percent); aluminum cans (51 percent); and, glass (22 percent).
Much of the reclaimed material from old cars ends up in new cars. Old carpeting is turned into air-cleaner assemblies, and chewed-up tires become brake pedals and floor mats.
In the United States market, where nearly 17 million new cars are produced each year, the car-recycling industry reclaims about 750 million pounds of scrap monthly. The most valuable materials reclaimed from old vehicles are aluminum, brass, copper and zinc. (Popular Mechanics)
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