Automobiles are an important part of our lives. They provide us mobility and have been instrumental in how our communities develop, where we work, and how we live. Many Michigan residents and businesses rely on the automobile manufacturing industry for their livelihood. When automobiles have outlived their usefulness, the majority (over 94%) are taken to scrap yards for reclamation of useable parts. What is left is shredded or compacted. This remaining material, consisting primarily of metals, is then recycled back into appliances, automobiles, and other products. Over 75% of each automobile is recovered this way. That still leaves over 3 million tons of material to be disposed of annually.

Is your motor vehicle "green"? Motor vehicles are arguably the most complex and environmentally damaging consumer products on the planet. From the cradle to the grave, your vehicle creates tremendous environmental impacts. Click on a stage in the diagram below to learn what happens at that stage of a vehicle's life-cycle -- and how you can help prevent pollution. To easily compare the environmentally friendliness of cars, use the Green Ratings on Yahoo! Autos. This unique resource, developed in partnership with Environmental Defense, scores new makes and models according to their overall pollution, including global warming pollution. The Green Ratings are given along with price and other vehicle specs, making it easy to identify the greenest models that meet your other requirements.

International Automobile Recycling Congress

Automotive Recyclers of Michigan ARM has a state-wide membership base. Industry members work together for the improvement of business while active Lansing participants monitor new legislation effecting the industry. Regular meetings provide a social exchange and a platform for addressing automotive recyclers business concerns. Speakers are invited to present topics of interest. Please review our membership benefits and contact us if you are interested in becoming an ARM member.

Auto and Scrap Recycling Auto and scrap recycling businesses are greening up their operations. It wasn't so long ago that junkyards and salvage dealers burned, buried, or dumped scrap and garbage. These bad practices often led to soil and groundwater contamination. Few auto and scrap dealers followed environmentally sound dismantling and storage practices.

Compliance Assistance Program for Automotive Recyclers

The Nature of Automotive Recycling

BMW's Auto Recycling

The Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection ("Department") recognizes that the Auto Recycling Industry plays an important role in the conservation of natural resources through the recycling and reuse of vehicle parts, automotive fluids and scrap metal. Auto recycling operators commonly encounter a broad range of environmental pollutants while processing vehicles and vehicle components. When these materials are not properly managed, pollutants can combine with stormwater run-off or be released directly to the environment and cause significant environmental damage, which can undermine much of the benefits gained from recycling and reuse.

Environmental Compliance fo Automotive Recyclers