Recycling the junk car: a case study of the automobile as a renewable resource
The development and industrial introduction of the auto shredder has made the junked car the most recycled postconsumer product. Historically some 6 to 8 million cars are scrapped annually and about 80 to 85% of these are recycled for their metal and material content. In the past three years, however, it has been estimated that more vehicles were recycled than the number ''retired'' from service. This resulted in a reduction in the national inventory of junk cars. Accordingly, the automobile has become the largest single source of postconsumer steel scrap and more recently has emerged as a major source of secondary zinc supply. The recycling of junk vehicles may represent a model system as to what can be done when favorable economics, industrial technology, available markets, and national and social needs coexist. This paper describes briefly the operation of an auto shredder and the technologies involved in separating and recovering the ferrous, nonferrous, and nonmetallic scrap fractions. Current U.S. vehicles use approximately 185 lb of plastics per vehicle and the volume utilization of plastics is projected to increase at a significant rate. Plastics residues previously have gone into landfill, but the energy and materials resources, landfill availability, and related issues have emphasized the opportunities and desirability for reclaiming these materials. Early results have indicated preliminary feasibility of the reutilization of some of the plastics generated; such reuse of recovered plastic materials may involve direct recycling, conversion to fuels, alternate feedstock material for manufacture of monomers and modified polymers, or direct burning as a heat source. Which form of recycling process will predominate depends upon clean separation technologies, economics of scrap and virgin materials, and materials/energy priorities. Automotive scrap recycling also provides energy recovery advantages as well as materials reutilization.
- Research Organization:
- Ford Motor Co., Dearborn, MI
- OSTI ID:
- 6486802
- Journal Information:
- Mater. Soc.; (United States), Journal Name: Mater. Soc.; (United States) Vol. 1:2; ISSN MSOCD
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
320302 -- Energy Conservation
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& Utilization-- Industrial & Agricultural Processes-- Materials
ALLOYS
ALUMINIUM
AUTOMOBILES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COMBUSTION
CONVERSION
COPPER
ECONOMICS
EFFICIENCY
ELASTOMERS
ELEMENTS
ENERGY CONSERVATION
ENERGY RECOVERY
GLASS
IRON
IRON ALLOYS
IRON BASE ALLOYS
MANAGEMENT
MARKET
MATERIALS RECOVERY
METALS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC POLYMERS
OXIDATION
PETROCHEMICALS
PETROLEUM PRODUCTS
PLASTICS
POLYMERS
PROCESSING
RECOVERY
RECYCLING
RENEWABLE RESOURCES
RESOURCES
RUBBERS
SCRAP
SOLID WASTES
STEELS
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
VEHICLES
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE PROCESSING
WASTES
ZINC