Recycling: It's More Than Just Bottles and Cans

(NUI) - By now, most Americans know about the importance of recycling to keeping the Earth clean. Once a week, dedicated residents haul their old newspapers, bottles and cans out to the curb feeling good about their part in helping the environment.

But what most people don't know is that getting the recyclables into the bin is only half the battle. There are other materials that can be easily recycled, such as used cars and tires.

Every year millions of vehicles are recycled and the parts are reused in the conservation of huge quantities of natural resources that would otherwise be used to make new replacement parts. Automotive recycling also eliminates any additional pollution that might occur when new parts are made and further conserves precious landfill space.

The automotive recycling industry predominantly is made up of small business facilities responding to the economic and environmental challenge of recycling millions of retired vehicles annually.

Rather than merely crushing wrecked, abandoned and mechanically disabled vehicles, today's modern, professional automotive recyclers maximize a vehicle's true market value, recycling the vast

majority of the vehicle's retired

each year.

The raw materials harvested when recycling old cars can then be used to make new vehicles.

Americans must also close the recycling loop by buying products made out of recycled materials. One easy place to start is by using recycled auto parts. They are durable and can typically save car owners money on repairs, since recycled auto parts often sell for half the price of comparable new parts.

"Our members run businesses on the simple notion that reuse is the simplest, most efficient, environmentally friendly form of recycling," said William Steinkuller, executive vice president of the Fairfax, Va.-based Automotive Recyclers Association (ARA). "And, in the case of recycled automotive parts, there's the added incentive of saving the motoring public substantial money."

ARA is the international association for professional auto recyclers, with member companies in 19 countries. Since 1943, ARA has been a leader in the environmental push for a "greener" future, while providing wholesale and retail customers a source of reliable replacement automotive parts.

To learn more about automotive recycling, visit ARA's home page at www.autorecyc.org or call (703) 385-1001.



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