What Happens When Your Car Is Scrapped?

Nothing lasts forever and at some point your car is likely to find itself on the scrap heap, having reached the end of its life. If your vehicle becomes uneconomical for you to run and if it’s past a certain age, scrappage may be the only option.

But have you ever thought about what actually happens to a vehicle when it’s scrapped? 

Once you’ve arranged for the car in question to be picked up, it’s then taken to an authorised treatment facility (ATF), which has been approved by the Environment Agency so you know that they have a legal licence and will operate in compliance with environmental standards.

At least 95 per cent of all vehicles must be recycled by these facilities, so you don’t have to worry that your car is going to end up in landfill.

Once the ATF has your vehicle, they’ll start the depollution process, where all hazardous parts and materials are removed. This includes the battery, any fuel left in the tank, the tank itself, liquids like brake fluid, coolant, antifreeze and oil and the catalytic converter.

These need to be removed first to make sure they don’t pose a risk to the environment, animals or human life. The airbag is also removed, as this is potentially explosive, while engine hoses and exhaust systems are fully disconnected.

From there, the vehicle itself can be dismantled and as many of the items recycled as possible. This includes tyres, windows, any plastics and leather interiors.

And then finally, when all that’s left of your car is the frame, it can then be crushed and any remaining metals separated. The layer of tin used to protect the car is also removed and the steel frame can then be melted down. And that’s it!

If you’d like to find out more about scrapping your car in Portsmouth or elsewhere, get in touch with the team here at Car Buying Solutions today.

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