What Happens Next to Miscellaneous Car Parts and Accessories

The automobile is the most recycled consumer product in the world. But when there is no longer a use left for the car parts that comprise today’s vehicles, what is their fate? With roughly 250 million vehicles on the road in the U.S., there is a potential for a continual stream of resources. Below are just a few examples of what becomes of various car parts when they are recycled at the end of their usable life.

Windshields and Auto Glass:

• Asphalt filler
• Spun into fiberglass
• Glass beads
• Reflective additive
• Architectural aggregate
• Ground for abrasives
• Backing to carpet
• A line of products, including wine glasses, counter tops and glass lamps, made specifically from recycled windshields

Oil Filters (Steel):

Recycling all the filters sold annually in the U.S. would result in the recovery of about 160,000 tons of steel, or enough steel to make 16 new stadiums the size of Atlanta’s Olympic Stadium.

• New steel products, such as cans
• Household appliances including refrigerators, washers and dryers
• Construction materials
• Flat-rolled steel sheets
• Concrete reinforcement
• Structural beams
• New cars and car parts
• New oil filters

If properly recycled, a cars use lasts longer than the average 13 years that it will physically be on the road. Be sure to properly dispose of or recycle any used parts of your car by using Earth911.