VIDEO: Netherlands company taking car recycling to the next level
A Netherlands company, ARN Recycling, has built a new recycling plant that will allow the to process cars to the point that upwards of 90 percent of it can be reused.
A Netherlands company is determined to make it so that no part of old cars wind up in landfills.
When a car is trashed, all of the valuable structural metal is taken out first. What remains is a mix of copper wiring, plastic, glass particles and fabric from seats. Often, that waste, at least most of it, will go out with the trash.
ARN Recycling has a different plan. Instead of throwing away the waste, it's invested in a brand new plant that will take the more than 400 pounds of non-metal waste that comes from each car and process it into parts that can be reused in all manner of applications.
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"We're very proud. We'll be the first plant in the world achieving more than 90 percent recycling of the parts of an old car, and that's something we're really proud of," said Nico de Jong, director of ARN recycling.
Once all of those raw materials are separated, they can be put back into the production system and turned into items that we use every day.
For example, the copper will become new copper wiring, which may find its way into a new car, and the plastic may find its way into door panels and steering wheels of new cars.
"Then we have the sand and the glass, which can be used in construction materials," de Jong said. "Then we have the fibers."
The textile remains are actually converted into a sort of artificial plank that's durable like plastic. If this process catches on, you're new car may bear a resemblance to your old one, even before you dump fast food wrappers on the floor.
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