- Industry-specific terminology
- Recycling processes and techniques
- Environmental considerations
- Legal and regulatory terms
- Parts and materials commonly recycled from vehicles
Use the alphabetical navigation below to quickly jump to specific terms, or browse through the entire glossary to gain a comprehensive understanding of the automotive recycling industry. We hope this resource enhances your knowledge and supports your engagement with automotive recycling practices.
A
Abandoned Vehicle: A vehicle left unclaimed by its registered owner.
ARA (Automotive Recyclers Association): A non-profit trade association representing professionals in the automotive recycling industry.
ASR (Auto Shredder Residue): Also known as "fluff," it's the material left over after a vehicle has been shredded and all metals have been removed.
Automotive Recycling: The process of dismantling end-of-life vehicles for spare parts and recycling the remaining materials.
Automotive Recycling Facility: A location where end-of-life vehicles are processed for parts and materials recovery.
B
Baling: The process of compressing scrapped car bodies into dense cubes for easier transport and processing.
C
CAR (Certified Automotive Recycler): A designation awarded by ARA to recyclers who meet specific quality, safety, and ethical standards.
Catalytic Converter: An emissions control device containing precious metals that can be recycled.
Core: A used auto part suitable for remanufacturing or rebuilding.
Crushing: The process of compacting a vehicle to reduce its size for transportation or further processing.
D
Depollution: The process of removing hazardous materials and fluids from a vehicle before recycling.
Dismantling: The process of taking apart a vehicle to salvage usable parts and prepare the remainder for recycling.
E
End-of-Life Vehicle (ELV): A vehicle that has reached the end of its useful life and is destined for recycling.
E-waste: Electronic waste from vehicles, including computers, sensors, and other electronic components.
F
Ferrous Metals: Metals that contain iron, such as steel, which make up the majority of a vehicle's weight.
Fluid Recovery System: Equipment used to safely drain and collect various fluids from end-of-life vehicles.
G
Green Parts: Recycled auto parts that are environmentally friendly alternatives to new parts.
H
Hazardous Materials: Substances in vehicles that require special handling during recycling, such as mercury, lead, and various fluids.
I
Inventory Management System: Software used by recyclers to track and manage their inventory of recycled parts.
J
Junk Vehicle: A vehicle that is no longer roadworthy and is only valuable for its parts or scrap metal.
L
Landfill Diversion: The practice of recycling materials to prevent them from ending up in landfills.
M
Magnetics: Equipment used to separate ferrous metals from other materials during the recycling process.
N
Non-Ferrous Metals: Metals that do not contain iron, such as aluminum, copper, and brass, found in various vehicle components.
O
OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) Parts: Parts made by the original manufacturer of the vehicle.
P
Parts Grading: A system used to classify the condition and quality of recycled auto parts.
Precious Metals: Valuable metals found in catalytic converters and other components, including platinum, palladium, and rhodium.
R
Recycled Part: A part removed from an end-of-life vehicle that can be reused in another vehicle.
Remanufactured Part: A used part that has been restored to a like-new condition.
S
Salvage Vehicle: A vehicle that has been damaged, dismantled, or declared a total loss by an insurance company.
Scrap Metal: Metal from end-of-life vehicles that is recycled for its material value.
Shredding: The process of crushing and tearing vehicles into small pieces to separate different materials.
T
Total Loss: A vehicle that has been damaged to the extent that repair costs would exceed its value.
V
VIN (Vehicle Identification Number): A unique code used to identify individual vehicles.