POUGHKEEPSIE, NEWBURGH, NEW YORK
 
Waste Recycling Equipment, Products, Services, Information and Related Resources

AUTOMOBILE RECYCING

Vehicles that reach the end of their useful life can be salvaged for recyclable and reusable parts.  Allowing vehicles to decay on your property means wasting resources that could be recycled.

Over 80 percent of vehicle material is recyclable.

A single scrapped vehicle contains gallons of potentially dangerous contaminant liquids, like oil, antifreeze, and
    gasoline.

One gallon of wasted gasoline can pollute over 700,000 gallons of water.

Air and water pollution is reduced significantly when using recycled scrap, like iron and steel, as opposed to producing new material from virgin ore.

AUTOMOTIVE RECYCLING PROCESS

1.      Processors first dismantle the automobile, in order to recover fluids and parts.  Fluids, like antifreeze and oil, are able to be filtered and recycled.  Parts, such as batteries, fenders, engines, alternators, and other components, are removed for possible reuse or repair.

2.      The dismantled vehicle is then crushed and loaded into a large shredder.  The shredder grinds the crushed vehicle into small spheres of metal, which are then separated by type.

3.      Separated metals are sent to mills for melting and production. 

4.      The non-recyclable byproduct left over from shredding, called auto shredder residue, is landfilled.

AUTOMOTIVE RECYCLING PRACTICES

Auto recyclers play a large role in preserving the environment during processing.  There are many potentially hazardous and illegal practices that should be avoided.  Poor practices within auto recycling facilities or salvage companies lead to involuntary water or air pollution.

Keep your site organized and free of debris and clutter. Have a good system in place for moving wastes and recyclables in a timely manner.

Carefully inspect vehicles that arrive for processing. Check the vehicle carefully for leaks from the engine, radiator, differentials, fuel tank, or any damaged area.

Remove and contain all fluids from the vehicle as soon as possible.  Drain these fluids under cover, on a drip pad, and with proper spill containments.  Ensure proper disposal of refrigerants, in accordance with EPA regulations.

Vehicle crushers should also be covered and situated on an impervious surface.  Monitor the reservoir for fluids that drain from the vehicles

Closely monitor all liquids onsite.  Soil contamination is a frequent concern regarding salvage yards, as liquids can easily seep into the groundwater.

Keep all fluids well covered and labeled. 

Keep equipment properly maintained in order to prevent leaks.

Consider using drip pans, as opposed to absorbents, to contain fluid leaks. 

When transferring liquids, always use a funnel or pump.

Verify local environmental rules for your type of processing.  Grinding, shredding, cutting and smelting may require an air permit.

Avoid storing tires for long periods of time.  A large number of tires may present a fire hazard, so send tires to be recycled or recovered frequently.

Use special care when handling batteries recovered from vehicles.  Lead batteries should be sent to a recycler.  Any damaged or leaking batteries should be contained and treated as hazardous waste.

Consider using dry sweeping absorbents as opposed to water when cleaning floors onsite.  The absorbents conserve water use and prevent involuntary soil contamination.

Store all liquids and waste containers in a secondary containment area, surrounded by a curb or berm