Salvage Yards - As Green as it Gets

What does it mean to salvage something? It's meaning originally came from the high seas where it was used to describe recovering a ship and it's cargo from certain loss.  Today, we use the term readily to describe recovering and saving what is left of salvage automobiles.

You would be amazed at what a competent salvage yard is able to save and recover from these wrecked vehicles and junk cars.  Obviously, we're in the business of selling the used auto parts or salvage parts from these vehicles.  So we're charged with removing any and all of the parts that have resale value.  Body parts like doors, fenders, and hoods are saved, headlights and taillights, and of course the used engines and transmissions.  These parts account for a lot of what is salvaged but that's just the beginning.

Salvage yards needed to get more efficient and make the most of the salvage vehicles over the last few years.  So we've found ways to recover our costs by "salvaging" even more of the vehicles.  Core products are removed from the vehicle and sold to rebuilders to remanufacture them into another reusable auto parts.  These range from starters and alternators all the way to the visors.  By removing and wholesaling these products, we can utilize parts of the vehicle that aren't cost effective for us to remove and sell individually and would otherwise end up in the trash.

Wrecked vehicles contain many fluids and other recoverable materials.  For instance, all of our salvage vehicles have the gasoline drained and that gas is used in our delivery trucks.  The oils are recovered and resold to companies that recycle them into other petroleum based products and even recycled motor oil.

The list goes on and on of what can be and is salvaged at your local salvage yard.  I hope that this has provided you with some insight into one of the original green industries.  Automotive recyclers, or salvage yards, are doing what they can to protect and preserve the environment through the professional recycling of automobiles.  So the next time you need a part, support green industry and recycling, and call Central Auto Parts!

Ben Silver is the CEO of Central Auto Parts and acting President of the Colorado Automotive Recyclers.  When he's not "auto blogging" or pushing Central Auto Parts to new heights, he's chasing his young daughter around the house or tying flies for the next great fishing adventure.