In many cases, automotive recyclers are the only source for replacement vehicle parts. This is especially true for older model vehicles.

In addition to the critical role they play in the automotive supply chain and replacement parts market, professional automotive recyclers play a valuable role in the efficient, environmentally friendly recycling of End of Life Vehicles (ELVs). Automotive recycling preserves natural resources, reduces the demand for scarce landfill space, and plays an important role in reducing air and water pollution. A study conducted by the Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Massachusetts found that automotive recyclers in that state help to drive a circular economy in auto manufacturing and that the automotive recycling industry has a negative carbon footprint.

From the earliest days of motorized travel to today, professional automotive recycling has evolved into a sophisticated market and technology-driven industry that constantly changes to keep abreast of innovations in automotive technology and manufacturing techniques.

Inside a Professional Automotive Recycling Facility
Professional automotive recyclers purchase vehicles from a myriad of sources including salvage auctions, municipalities, charities, tow facilities, and the general public. Upon receiving these vehicles, professional automotive recyclers record and report their acquisition of each vehicle into the federally administered National Motor Vehicle Title Information System (NMVTIS) as well as any other state mandated databases. NMVTIS recording helps to protect the public from vehicle title and branding abuses and the professional automotive recycling industry plays a key role in identifying ELVs for the system.

Along with helping to protect the public from vehicle title and branding abuses, professional automotive recyclers are a first line of defense for protecting the environment. As soon as professional automotive recyclers receive vehicles, trained staff remove fluids and conduct a thorough depollution process on each vehicle. Depollution processes are conducted in strict compliance with federal, state, and local laws and regulations.

All professional automotive recyclers record and report their vehicles and conduct thorough depollution processes on each vehicle and there are two types of professional automotive recyclers, full-service and self-service. Both business models target different audiences but provide cost-effective solutions for vehicle repairs.

Full-service automotive recyclers focus primarily on selling vehicle repair parts to the repair industry. To service the repair industry, full-service automotive recyclers inventory, dismantle, and warehouse vehicle parts and components so that they can deliver the parts quickly to repairers. Full-service automotive recyclers clean, test, and inspect vehicle parts and employ multi-step quality control procedures.

Self-service automotive recyclers focus on selling vehicle repair parts directly to retail consumers and independent garages. Self-service automotive recyclers specialize in providing vehicle repair parts for the do-it-yourselfers (DIY). Self-service automotive recyclers tend to be the best source of parts for older vehicles and are economy oriented. Self-service automotive recyclers record, report, and depollute their vehicles just like a full-service operation and then make the vehicles safely accessible to the public. Self-service automotive recyclers are able to provide customers with very affordable parts because the customer can provide their own labor for removing vehicle repair parts.

When both full-service and self-service automotive recyclers are finished extracting Recycled Original Equipment (ROE) ® parts from a vehicle, professional automotive recyclers have the vehicles removed and sent to a facility for shredding and metal reclamation. At the shredder, metals such as steel, copper, and aluminum are broken down and sent to mills to be recycled. These recycled materials are eventually reused in manufacturing and help minimize the need for mining and the resulting pollution including greenhouse gases. For example, the automotive recycling industry provides enough steel to produce roughly 13 million new vehicles annually. Automotive recyclers are a critical component in creating a circular and environmentally friendly economy.

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