How Do Junkyards Help the Environment?
Environmentally-friendly may not be the first thought you have when you think about auto junkyards. However, salvage yards are vital to protecting our Earth from the impact of hazardous automotive waste. Materials from end-of-life, wrecked or unwanted vehicles get a second life through the recycling and reusing process that only salvage yards offer.
Junk vehicles still contain useful parts that can be used to repair other cars. They also contain materials that can be recycled and reused, such as steel and aluminum, helping to avoid wasting energy and resources to create more metals and products.
Selling Your Old Car To A Salvage Yard Is Good For The Earth
Across the US, licensed salvage yards must adhere to all local and federal regulations including responsibly disposing of materials such as oil, fuel, tires, antifreeze, mercury, asbestos and batteries. Their compliance lessens the burden on landfills and minimizes the risk of contamination of the soil, groundwater and even the air. In the State of Florida, salvage yards that go over and above the EPA and OSHA requirements may receive a Green Yard Certification.
Auto salvage yards have the training and accessibility to properly recycle chemicals, materials and products that the everyday person does not. Leaving wrecked or old vehicles in our driveways or backyards can easily contaminate the waterways and soil. Even the tires that your old car, truck or SUV sit on everyday can quickly become an environmental hazard as they breakdown and leach chemicals into the ground. Deciding to sell your old junk car to an auto recycling center greatly lessens its impact on the environment while providing parts for others to repair their own daily drivers.
Auto Recycling Centers Minimize Health & Environmental Impact
While each state and local governing body may have different guidelines for auto recyclers to follow, it’s important that every facility is licensed and in compliance. Each salvage yard is not only responsible for the parts, fluids, tires, metals and hazardous materials from each vehicle at their location but they are also tasked with not contributing to the ground, water and air pollution. As each vehicle is processed, or broken-down, by trained in-house salvage mechanics, all materials are recorded and reported to the state every month.
Materials like lead batteries, antifreeze, mercury, asbestos, oil, Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) and Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) are toxins that pose real health risks to humans and wildlife if handled improperly. Junkyards may look like dirty, messy places but if all environmental best management practices are followed or exceeded, operators are helping to keep your community clean.
Illegal Junkyards Create Serious Environmental Concerns
It is important to be familiar with the salvage yards in your community. Some neighborhoods have unlicensed junkyards which means they are not being monitored for environmental compliance. All hazardous materials that are handled improperly have the potential to pollute the air, soil, stormwater runoff, groundwater and eventually, the local waterways. This illegal activity may affect your health directly as well as that of nearby wildlife.
If you are unsure if a local junkyard is properly licensed, please contact your business zoning department. Illegal dumping or storage of known hazardous chemicals or materials should be reported to your state’s environmental agency or the EPA.
Auto Recycling Provides Affordable Used Car Parts
Recycling vehicles keeps hazardous materials out of our landfills and helps minimize the need for mining for metals and manufacturing parts. It also creates a market for used auto parts that junkyards, like Gardner Auto Parts, sell to the public. Once each car is properly processed, in-house salvage mechanics remove, inspect and clean each used part. You can find used car parts, engines, transmissions and even accessories in their inventory at more affordable prices than buying new car parts. Salvage yards also carry many parts that have been discontinued for some late model cars, trucks, vans and SUVs.
Shop At A Certified Green Salvage Yard In South Florida
When shopping for used auto parts, it’s important to locate a salvage yard that follows all mandated environmental guidelines to ensure the environment and neighborhood is protected. Gardner Auto Parts not only meets the environmental regulations for salvage yards but also exceeds them. For their eco-friendly efforts, they have been awarded the Green Yard Certification from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.
For more than 50 years, we have offered customers quality used car parts at affordable prices for most makes and models of European and Japanese cars, trucks, vans and SUVS. Easily shop our online parts store or call our expert staff for assistance at 954-972-9407. If you’re nearby, we’d love for you to visit our certified green junkyard and auto parts store at 2090 NW 21st Street in Pompano Beach, just south of Copans Road on the east side of the road.