A common myth is that scrapping a vehicle harms the planet. Cars that run on petrol and diesel have a reputation for releasing toxic emissions into the environment, and in the past unwanted vehicles would be piled high in breakers yards and left to rust. Any fuels and fluids, along with water contaminated with iron oxide would seep into the ground, polluting the earth and underground watercourses.

Today, modern scrap services are far greener and governed in the UK by the Environmental Agency (EA). By law, cars can only be scrapped at Authorised Treatment Facilities (ATFs). Read on as we examine some lesser-known reasons why scrapping cars can help Britain’s green efforts.

Making room on the road for greener vehicles

Car manufacturing is always evolving. Leading auto brands like Tesla, Mercedes and Dacia are now making energy-efficient cars designed to be kinder to the environment. From full-electric to hybrids, these new vehicles offer less or zero emissions. As cars age, they no longer run as efficiently, in simple terms, they consume more fuel to deliver the same performance and therefore emit more harmful CO2. As a result, scrapping your car and purchasing either a vehicle running at optimum or an electric make and model is an eco-friendly decision.

Green salvage services

If a car is less than 12 years of age but has a critical failure, it is deemed salvage. While a key component may be irreparable and require replacing, many other parts of the car will be functioning fine. Instead of destroying the car, it can be salvaged when sold to expert repairers. Labour costs in auto repairs can be extreme making them inequitable for most car owners, professionals who can undertake such work themselves will buy these defective vehicles. Salvage is the greenest method available for dealing with unwanted cars as it effectively repairs them or repurposes their parts for continued use.

Cutting-edge scrap processes

Advanced methods used at ATFs today mean that cars are depolluted before scrapping. While once it was only the metal parts of cars that could be reclaimed today’s laws dictate that 95 per cent of a vehicle must be recycled.

If you’re ready to make the eco-friendly decision to scrap your car get in touch with our expert team at Motorwise now. We provide a dependable scrap car collection service and will ensure that your vehicle is disposed of safely and legally.