BY THE NUMBERS

THE RECYCLABLE CAR

BMW’S FISHING-NET-BASED PLASTICS MAY BE A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION FOR THE EXTENDED USE OF RECYCLED MATERIALS IN CARS, BUT IT’S FASCINATING TO SEE JUST WHAT CAN BE EXTRACTED FROM A CAR ONCE IT HAS REACHED THE END OF ITS SERVICEABLE LIFE.

METAL

A staggering 99.5% of metal, which makes up 75% by weight of a total loss vehicle, is recycled and can be used to produce more cars, speed boats, white goods, tin cans and any number of other products.

PETROL AND DIESEL

Petrol and diesel are extracted from total-loss vehicle tanks and sold to refiners to be reused.

PLASTIC

Plastics are typically retrieved as post-shredder recovery. Recycled plastics such as polypropylene can be used to create more automotive parts (trim, bumpers, headlamps and battery casings), toys, shipping pallets, carpets and upholstery, chopping boards, watering cans, ice scrapers, mixing bowls and spatulas.

GLASS

Glass panels that have remained intact are removed and resold as reclaimed parts.

TYRES Tyres are either sold as “part worn” or recycled. They can be burnt in cement kilns as a fuel substitute, shredded for safe playground surfaces and most recently, there is an initiative to reuse them for road surfacing.

BATTERY CASES Battery cases are recycled into plastic pellets, which can be used to make new battery cases or car bumpers.

VEHICLE BATTERIES The sulfuric acid in batteries can be recovered and made into gypsum, which can be turned into plasterboard or used as agricultural fertiliser. Also, the lead in batteries is recycled and used to make more batteries.