Every Day is Earth Day at Salvage Yards

Great article on one of original green industries, automobile salvage yards!

Earth Day will be celebrated April 22 this year, but for auto salvage yards, every day feels a little like Earth Day.

Both Cousineau Auto  and Yaeger Auto Salvage in Weston are in the business of recycling and reselling auto parts, something that has a positive impact on the environment — and on consumers.

Andy Waldvogel, manager of Cousineau Auto, estimated that up to 85 percent of each vehicle at Cousineau is recycled and resold on-site. He said all car parts can be resold but not all of them are available to the general public. Catalytic converters, for example, cannot be sold as recycled parts to individuals; instead, they are sold to a processor who recycles the plutonium to make new converters.

Salvage yards try to make use of every element of a vehicle, including the fluids.

“The gas is burned in delivery trucks; drain oil is burned in specialty furnaces to heat the building; antifreeze is cleaned and resold; and washer fluid is used to clean parts,” Waldvogel said.

Read the full article here.