Environmental impact

Did you know that every year in Ontario, there is an average of 400,000 to 500,000 vehicles that are retired each year. Unfortunately, not all of them are recycled responsibly. People have become more educated on the effects of the automobile on the environment, but most people are not aware that those vehicles are affecting the environment long after their last mile.

Here is a comparison between what will result from throwing your vehicle and what should result if you recycle.

Car Parts	Thrown away	Recycled
Tires	Endless land area is taken up by tire yards and rubber takes 1000s of years to breakdown. What's worse is they are often burned releasing carbon monoxide into the atmosphere.	The rubber used in tires can be shredded down into small shavings. These are then used to create new products, like the soles of shoes. Which you could wear to walk through a park you helped preserve.

Car Parts	Thrown away	Recycled
Metal frame & Panels	Cars the are improperly disposed of generally end up here, taking up endless useful space that could be instead used as parks, green space or residential land.	Yes, even the kitchen sink can me made from recycled metals. Just think about how many everyday products could be made from recycled metals from vehicles.

Car Parts	Thrown away	Recycled
Plastics	Similar to metal car components plastics also end up in scrap yards. Most plastics are easily recycled but take thousands of years to decompose. That's a long time to wait to get your green space back.	If you're looking to make even more change you could use this pen, which just happens to be made from recycled car plastics to write your friends letters encouraging them to recycle their old cars too.

Car Parts	Thrown away	Recycled
Fluids and Chemicals	Antifreeze, oils, brake fluid and other chemicals from discarded vehicles eventually leech into the soil often destroying the normal plant and animal populations.	Engine oils can be recycled and refined for use in furnices to keep you warm on those winter days.