With a pressing need to slow down climate change, looking after our environment is vital.
Global warming, caused by carbon emissions, is on the way to causing an earth where humans could no longer survive. Severe floods, fires and droughts are already frequent, leaving areas with no food to survive, and threatening our wildlife.
Not only that, but climate change, pollution and human activities are impacting ecosystems and natural habitats. Everything from changing sand temperatures affecting turtle nesting sites to polar bear’s shrinking homes.
It is urgent that we respond to this and make changes quickly.
By recycling our waste!
Lots of us recycle our cans, newspapers, plastic bottles and glass jars, but what about recycling your car too? Recycling vehicles when they come to the end of their lives (or we are replacing with a newer, more eco-friendly model), can have a positive, green impact and here’s why:
Cars are primarily manufactured from steel, either from recycled metal or mining. The latter process consumes huge amounts of energy, far more than recycling. Steel smelting uses fossil fuels and creates massive amounts of carbon emissions as an unfortunate by-product.
According to Global Car Recycling Day: “Compared to manufacturing steel from raw materials, every tonne of recycled steel saves 1.5 tonnes of iron ore, 70% of energy, 40% of water consumption. It also avoids 75% of CO2 emissions and 76% of water pollution.”
Recycling your car reduces the need for an energy-guzzling process. Plus, your old lifeless banger could one day be made into a brand-spanking new Tesla!
Steel smelting is dangerous for wildlife in the area too. The method causes erosion of habitats and leaks pollutants into the land – damaging plants, soil and animals. Another reason to minimise steel mining!
Cars also contain toxic substances such as oils, tyres and batteries. If a vehicle is left to deteriorate, hazardous liquids can also leak, causing environmental damage and endangering local wildlife and plants. Recycling at an authorised centre avoids this harm as vehicles are carefully depolluted before they are taken apart.
Landfills are full of items that could have been recycled and weren’t. The waste contains toxins that leach out, polluting our soil and groundwater.
Not only this, but packed landfill sites mean organic materials are compacted, removing oxygen and causing them to produce methane when they break down – a greenhouse gas that’s impacting our environment.
Each recycled car, means one less car in a landfill.
If you want to ensure your car is recycled responsibly and the environment will be protected, you can do so at CarTakeBack.
Our recycling centres use the latest methods to safely remove all harmful materials from your car, before reusing and recycling as much of it as possible.
