294 additional tons of waste end up in landfills every year, according to Yale University’s 2013 study. One of the places that is doing the most to combat this is salvage yards, where junk cars and recyclable metal materials can be taken to be given new life. The following guide looks at some of the ways they are helping the environment.

The Eco Benefits of Salvage Yards

1. They Reduce Waste

That junk car may seem worthless to you, but it does still have value. Over 85 percent of its material (by weight) is recyclable.  A salvage yard will pay for this material and put it to use by scrapping the metal or refurbishing its parts. They keep old cars out of landfills, where some of the materials may take hundreds of years to decompose. Recently, they’ve made motor vehicles the top recycled product in the United States.

2. They Dispose of Pollutants Properly

Cars are full of materials that are harmful to the environment. Substances such as antifreeze, battery acid, and power steering fluid can pollute the air and soil, causing long-term and possibly permanent issues in the environment. Each car typically has between 5 to 10 gallons of these fluids in them when scrapped. A junkyard will properly dispose of these pollutants so they can’t harm the environment.

3. They Recycle Metal

They also accept metal of other kinds, helping to put this material back into the market for the production of new materials. This burns fewer fossil fuels and has much less impact on the environment than the mining and processing required to produce new metal.

Looking for a salvage yard? You’ll get top dollar at Roadrunner Recycling in San Marcos, TX. This recycling center makes it easy for you to reduce your carbon footprint by disposing of metal items and junk cars in a responsible manner. They will accept cars in any condition and pay fair cash for them. Learn more about their services online. Call (512) 353-4511 to request an estimate for your goods.