What Happens to Cars After They Get Scrapped

Scrapping a car involves a series of increasingly destructive processes. First, the car is separated into its parts. Then, the parts are transformed into small pieces, which are converted into even smaller pieces until they resemble nothing recognizable. 

This process is not just for old cars: it can happen to any vehicle after being removed from the road. Here is everything the happens:

Dismantling the Car

This is the first step of what happens to cars after being scrapped. It is done by specialized scrap dealers who take apart the car in a large, noisy workshop. Depending on the condition of the vehicle, this process may involve other processes, such as:

Chipping the Car

Once the car has been taken apart, the pieces are ready to be sold to other companies. This process is called chipping. It involves cutting the car into small pieces with a grinding machine called a “chipping machine.” This machine reduces the scrap car parts into pieces small enough to be used for other purposes.

Chipping is usually the final process in dismantling a car, as it transforms the car into small enough pieces for easier handling and storage.

Sorting the Parts

The next step in what happens to cars after they get scrapped involves sorting car parts. It is where the metal is separated from the non-metal car parts. Only the metal parts are valuable. If a car is a recent model, the metal may be recycled into other new vehicles or parts. If a model is more than a few years old, the metal may be sold for scrap metal. Sorting car parts is a challenging and painstakingly slow process that requires a great deal of skill. 

Crushing the Car

Cars used to be crushed on-site by the scrap dealers who took apart the cars. This meant that only the metal scrap was removed, and the car parts went to the landfill. However, as metal prices rose and landfill space became more and more precious, scrap dealers began to sell the nonmetal parts (like glass, tires, and plastic) to other companies. These other companies then transport the parts to their workshops to be turned into different products.

Recycling Parts

The last step of what happens to cars after they get scrapped is recycling. If a car is dismantled and sorted, the parts are sold to different companies. These companies dismantle the parts and sell them to companies that use them to make new products. For example, glass from car windows is melted down, turned into a new product, and sold. The parts are sold to different companies again. The other materials used to make the car are also recycled in this way. These recycled products can be anything from new windscreen wipers to the foam used in the seats.

Conclusion

So, what happens to cars after they get scrapped? The answer is that they can be recycled in a variety of ways. Whether they are recycled or not depends on how recently they were made and how much the materials inside the car are worth. Many vehicles still go to landfills. While this is a shame, more and more progress is being made today.

There are many reasons why many people want to know what happens to cars after they get scrapped. It is important that we know how to dispose of cars with care. After all, if we do not, those who live in the future have to deal with the consequences of our wastefulness.

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