Twenty-First Century Auto Recycling:
How It's Done

Accepting Vehicles into the Facility
Modern auto recycling is a tightly coordinated, comprehensive process.

The first step, after a vehicle arrives at Auto Parts City (APC), is to confirm its ownership.

If the vehicle arrives without a title or officially issued document to confirm ownership, APC is equipped to do a vehicle inquiry online and start the process per Illinois Secretary of State procedure. Currently we are the only facility able to start the process online in Northern Illinois and one of only two in the entire state.

Vehicles slated for recycling begin the process.

First Step Fluid Recovery
Gasoline is recovered and recycled for our fleet use.

Automotive fluids are vacuum fed using a specially designed system that utilizes a 3T scissor lift. APC has chosen the highly-regarded Crow Environmental system, used extensively in western Europe. (According to industry observers, western Europe is leading the way in comprehensive, environmentally conscious auto recycling.)

The Various fluids are separated and held in high-capacity tanks for use in our clean-burning, EPA-approved recycled-waste-oil-furnaces on site, or safely stored for transport to a certified off-site recycler. Recycled antifreeze is sold or transported to the appropriate off-site fluid recycling facility as well.

After fluid recovery is complete, mercury switches are safely removed. (Until recent legislation was enacted prohibiting the installation of mercury switches in vehicles, they were used to turn on lights when hoods or trunks were opened.) Auto recyclers and their trade association worked closely with government to establish standards governing safe recovery.

Batteries
Automotive batteries also are removed during the vehicle prep stage. Depending on the condition, batteries are made available for resale or collected for shipment to an off-site recycler.

Scrap, Cores & Used Parts for Resale
At this point the vehicle has reached the stage where it is environmentally safe. APC’s professional staff then makes decisions based on the make, model, year and condition of the vehicle. Items with scrap value such as catalytic converters are removed for immediate recycling. Other items such as alternators, brake calipers even engines and transmissions may be removed from the vehicle and sold as cores. (The freshly painted rebuilt brake caliper you buy from your favorite auto parts store such as Auto Zone, Pep Boys and others probably came from a recycler like APC.)

After cores and scrap are removed, the balance of the vehicle will be compacted and readied for transport to a regional shredder in Milwaukee or Chicago, or it will be stocked in the retail area of APC where auto mechanics and do-it-yourselfers are allowed to remove parts for purchase.

Rims and tires are removed and held until ready for resale or recycling transport.

After approximately 60-90 days what remains of the vehicle is removed from the inventory, compacted and transported to a regional shredder.