Once your scrap car reaches an Authorised Treatment Facility (ATF), it goes through three stages. First comes depollution, where fluids and hazardous parts are removed. Then dismantling, where reusable parts are taken off for resale. Finally shredding, where the remaining shell is broken up and sorted into metals and other materials. UK rules set a target for 95% of every vehicle by weight to be reused, recycled or recovered.

Most people never see what happens after the recovery truck pulls away. Here is the journey your old car takes, step by step.

What happens when a scrap car arrives at the ATF?

The first job is paperwork. The ATF checks the vehicle against the seller's details, logs it and issues a Certificate of Destruction. This document confirms the car has been taken off the road for good. You should still tell DVLA yourself that the car has gone, using Section 9 of your V5C or the DVLA website, as our guide on how to scrap my car explains.

The car is then moved to a dedicated treatment area. Under the End-of-Life Vehicles Regulations 2003, this must have an impermeable surface with drainage that catches spills, so nothing leaks into the ground.

Step 1: How is a scrap car depolluted?

Depollution comes before anything else, because a car contains plenty of substances that cause harm if they escape. Staff work through a set checklist:

- The battery is removed, as it contains lead and acid

- Fuel is drained from the tank

- Engine oil, gearbox oil, brake fluid, coolant and screenwash are drained into separate containers

- Air conditioning gas is recovered with specialist equipment rather than released into the air

- Airbags and seatbelt pretensioners are removed or safely deployed, because they contain small explosive charges

- The catalytic converter is taken off, as it contains precious metals such as platinum, palladium and rhodium

- Tyres are removed, along with any parts that contain hazardous materials

Once this stage is finished, the car is classed as depolluted. The collected fluids are sent on for recycling or proper disposal.

Step 2: Which parts are taken off and reused?

Next comes dismantling. Any part that still works and has a resale value is removed, checked and labelled. Typical examples include engines, gearboxes, alternators, starter motors, doors, bonnets, headlights, mirrors and alloy wheels.

These parts are sold to garages, repairers and drivers looking for a cheaper alternative to new. Reusing a working part is the greenest option of all, because nothing needs to be melted down or made from scratch. It also explains why two cars of the same weight can fetch different amounts. Popular parts in good condition can feed into your quote, as our page on how scrap car prices are calculated explains.

Step 3: What happens in the shredder?

With the useful parts gone, what is left is mostly a metal shell. It is often flattened so more shells fit on a lorry, then taken to a shredding plant.

The shredder is a huge hammer mill that tears the shell into fist-sized pieces in seconds. Those pieces then pass through a series of sorting systems:

- Powerful magnets pull out steel and iron, which make up most of a typical car's weight

- Eddy current separators push out non-ferrous metals such as aluminium and copper

- The leftover mix of plastics, foam, rubber, glass and fabric, known as shredder residue, is sorted further

Where do the materials end up?

The steel goes to furnaces and is melted down to make new steel. Aluminium is remelted too, using far less energy than producing it from raw ore. Shredder residue that cannot be recycled is increasingly used for energy recovery instead of going to landfill.

How much of a scrapped car gets recycled?

The UK target is for 95% of each end of life vehicle by weight to be reused, recycled or recovered, with at least 85% reused or recycled. Every centre in our network recycles at least 85% of each scrap car, and many now reach up to 95%. You can read more about our recycling centres (https://www.motorwise.com/index.cfm/about) and how they are licensed.

What should you do before your car is collected?

- Remove all personal belongings and any rubbish

- Leave the car complete, with four wheels and tyres and its original catalytic converter

- Have your photo ID ready for the driver

- Tell DVLA and your insurer once the car has gone

The short version

Your car does not simply get crushed and forgotten. It is drained, stripped of anything reusable and then shredded so its metals can start a new life. Using a licensed ATF means every stage is carried out legally and safely. When you are ready, get an instant scrap car quote and book free scrap car collection.

Frequently asked questions

Is my scrap car crushed straight away?

No. A scrap car must be depolluted first, which means removing fluids, the battery, airbags and other hazardous parts. Reusable parts are then taken off before the shell is shredded.

Do I get a Certificate of Destruction when my car is scrapped?

Yes. Only an Authorised Treatment Facility can issue a Certificate of Destruction, and one is issued for every vehicle scrapped through the Motorwise network.

Should I remove parts before my car is scrapped?

It is best not to. Stripping parts can lower your scrap car price and may make the car unsafe to transport, which can stop free scrap car collection.