Environmental Impact FAQs
Recycling cars and metals plays a critical role in fighting climate change, reducing landfill waste, and conserving natural resources.
Below, we’ve answered the most common questions about the environmental impact of metal and car recycling, backed by real data and sustainability goals shaping the UK’s future.
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The Environmental Benefits of Metal Recycling
Metal recycling is the backbone of sustainable resource management.
Here, we explore how recycling metals like steel, aluminium, and copper reduces energy use, cuts emissions, and protects natural ecosystems from further damage.
Why is recycling metal important for the environment?
Recycling metal is one of the most effective ways to reduce the environmental impact of industry and manufacturing.
Its main benefits include:
Saving energy: Producing metal from recycled materials uses up to 95% less energy than creating it from raw ore.
Reducing emissions: Recycling steel cuts CO₂ emissions by around 58% compared to new steel production, according to the World Steel Association.
Conserving resources: Recycling keeps valuable metals like aluminium, copper, and steel in use, reducing mining, which damages land and ecosystems.
Minimising landfill waste: Metals can take hundreds of years to decompose. Recycling prevents toxic leachate from contaminating soil and water.
Reducing ocean pollution: By reusing metals already in circulation, we lower demand for destructive deep-sea mining and prevent hazardous waste from entering waterways.
Further reading: Industry News articles to keep you updated with new laws and the future of recycling.
How does scrap metal recycling help reduce landfill waste?
Each year, the UK generates over 1.5 million tonnes of end-of-life vehicles.
Without recycling, most of that metal would end up in a landfill.
Recycling ensures that up to 95% of each vehicle’s materials are recovered and reused.
Authorised Treatment Facilities (ATFs) depollute vehicles, removing fluids, oils, and batteries before safely dismantling them.
This process keeps hazardous substances out of landfills and supports a circular economy where materials are repurposed instead of discarded.
Is recycling scrap metal better than mining new metal?
Mining for new metals requires massive amounts of energy, land disruption, and water consumption.
By comparison, recycling metals:
- Reduces air pollution by up to 86%,
- Cuts water pollution by 76%, and
- Uses 40% less water overall (UK Gov data, 2024).
Mining also contributes to deforestation, habitat loss, and soil erosion, while recycling relies on existing resources, keeping the environmental footprint minimal.
How much CO₂ does scrap metal recycling save?
The UK’s scrap metal industry saves an estimated 10 million tonnes of CO₂ annually, roughly equivalent to removing 2 million cars from the road each year.
For every tonne of steel recycled, around 1.6 tonnes of CO₂ emissions are prevented.
Recycling aluminium saves even more, up to 9 tonnes of CO₂ per tonne of metal reused.
These figures directly contribute to national Net Zero 2050 goals and the government’s strategy to reduce industrial carbon emissions.
Read more: Zero Avoidable Waste 2050
What are the energy savings from recycling metals?
The difference in energy use is staggering:
- Steel: 60 – 75% energy saved
- Aluminium: 95% energy saved
- Copper: 85% energy saved.
(Source: International Energy Agency, 2024).
These savings translate to lower energy demand across industries, helping the UK reduce fossil fuel use and transition to renewable energy.
The Environmental Benefits of Car Recycling
Car recycling is a crucial part of the UK’s journey towards a circular economy.
Here, we explain how recycling vehicles helps reduce emissions, supports national sustainability goals, and conserves valuable materials for reuse.
How does Scrap Local ensure sustainable car recycling practices?
Sustainability is central to how Scrap Local operates.
Every car processed through our network is handled by Environment Agency-licensed ATFs that meet or exceed UK recycling standards.
Each end-of-life vehicle (ELV) is:
- Depolluted: All hazardous materials (fuels, oils, coolants, batteries) are safely removed.
- Reused: Working car parts are recovered and resold through our Parts Local network, extending their lifespan and reducing the need for new manufacturing.
- Recycled: Metals are shredded, sorted, and melted for reuse, helping the UK reach its 95% recovery target for ELVs.
Our approach directly supports the UK’s environmental frameworks, including Zero Waste 2050 and MDWT 2026, which aim to minimise destruction and maximise reuse in the recycling industry.
What are the environmental benefits of scrapping a car with Scrap Local?
When you scrap your vehicle through Scrap Local:
- You’re preventing pollution: Every car is depolluted to remove harmful fluids before dismantling.
- You’re reducing emissions: Older, higher-polluting vehicles are taken off the road, supporting the 2035 ban on new petrol and diesel cars.
- You’re supporting recycling goals: Each car contributes to the UK’s aim of zero avoidable waste by 2050.
- You’re promoting the reuse of usable parts: They are sold and reused, keeping materials in circulation and reducing demand for new production.
Together, these efforts help lower carbon emissions, reduce landfill use, and promote a cleaner, more sustainable transport system.
How does buying used car parts help the environment?
Purchasing used OEM parts instead of new ones significantly reduces your environmental impact.
Manufacturing new car parts requires large amounts of energy and raw materials, while reusing existing ones:
- Cuts CO₂ emissions by up to 70% per part compared to new production.
- Reduces waste from manufacturing offcuts and packaging.
- Supports the circular economy by keeping components in use for longer.
Every reused part saves resources and energy, making Parts Local a greener choice for responsible drivers.
Can metal recycling reduce ocean pollution?
Metal recycling plays a vital role in reducing ocean pollution.
By reusing metals already in circulation, we lower the demand for destructive deep-sea mining, which threatens fragile marine ecosystems.
Metal recycling also prevents hazardous materials such as oils, heavy metals, and untreated waste from entering rivers and seas, where they can harm wildlife and contaminate water supplies.
According to the United Nations (UN), around 8 million tonnes of plastic and industrial waste enter the oceans every year.
By keeping metals out of landfill and reducing the need for raw material extraction, recycling helps minimise this pollution at its source.
In short, effective recycling keeps pollutants out of marine environments, supports cleaner waterways, and protects ecosystems from local rivers to global oceans.
Sustainability and the UK’s Environmental Goals
The UK is working towards ambitious environmental milestones, including Net Zero 2050 and zero avoidable waste.
This section explores how car and metal recycling contribute to these national targets and how Scrap Local supports the UK’s wider sustainability mission.
How does metal recycling support the UK’s Net Zero 2050 target?
The scrap metal and vehicle recycling industries play a vital role in achieving Net Zero 2050 by reducing industrial CO₂, promoting reuse, and lowering the need for high-emission manufacturing.
By 2050, the UK aims to eliminate avoidable waste, with the recycling sector at the heart of that transition.
Scrap Local’s processes align directly with this target, helping move towards a circular, low-carbon economy.
What does choosing Scrap Local do for the environment?
When you choose Scrap Local, you’re supporting a network that prioritises transparency, sustainability, and responsible recycling.
We only work with licensed, environmentally compliant partners and ensure that:
- Every car is depolluted and recycled to the highest environmental standard.
- Every part reused reduces manufacturing emissions.
- Every customer plays a role in building a cleaner, circular future.
Your choice to recycle responsibly helps the UK reach its zero-waste and carbon goals.
How will the 2035 ban on petrol and diesel cars impact the environment?
The UK government plans to ban the sale of new petrol and diesel cars by 2035 as part of its commitment to reach Net Zero emissions by 2050.
This change will significantly reduce carbon pollution, as transport currently accounts for over 25% of the UK’s total CO₂ emissions.
By shifting to electric and hybrid vehicles, the UK aims to:
- Cut vehicle emissions that contribute to poor air quality and climate change.
- Reduce dependency on fossil fuels and lower greenhouse gas output.
- Encourage manufacturers to innovate with cleaner, more efficient technology.
Older, high-emission vehicles will gradually be phased out, leading to cleaner air in cities and a more sustainable transport network.
How does Scrap Local support the 2035 petrol and diesel ban?
Scrap Local plays a vital role in helping the UK transition towards greener transport.
By responsibly recycling end-of-life petrol and diesel vehicles, we help remove the highest-polluting cars from the road in line with the government’s 2035 target.
Our nationwide network of Authorised Treatment Facilities (ATFs) ensures that every vehicle is:
- Depolluted safely, removing oils, fuels, and batteries that can harm the environment.
- Recycled so that up to 95% of materials, including metals and reusable parts, are recovered.
- Reused through our Parts Local network, reducing the need for new manufacturing.
Each car scrapped through Scrap Local supports the UK’s long-term environmental goals, cutting emissions, reducing waste, and promoting a cleaner future for transport.
What is a carbon footprint?
A carbon footprint is the total amount of greenhouse gases (GHGs) (including carbon dioxide (CO₂), methane (CH₄), and nitrous oxide (N₂O)) released into the atmosphere as a result of everyday human activity.
It’s measured in tonnes of CO₂ equivalent (tCO₂e) and helps calculate the environmental impact of producing, using, and disposing of goods and services.
In the automotive industry, every stage of a vehicle’s life contributes to its carbon footprint:
- Manufacturing: Building a new car can emit anywhere between 6 and 35 tonnes of CO₂, depending on materials and production methods.
- Driving: Fuel consumption and exhaust emissions add several tonnes more during its lifetime.
- End of life: Disposing of a car incorrectly can lead to unnecessary waste, energy use, and further emissions.
By understanding your carbon footprint, you can make more sustainable choices, such as scrapping your car responsibly or buying recycled parts instead of new ones.
At Scrap Local, we work with licensed Authorised Treatment Facilities (ATFs) to ensure every vehicle is depolluted, dismantled, and recycled in line with UK environmental standards.
This process prevents waste, reduces energy use, and supports the UK’s wider targets for Net Zero 2050 and Zero Avoidable Waste, helping lower the carbon footprint of the automotive sector.
Further reading: Zero Avoidable Waste by 2050
How does metal and car recycling reduce the UK’s carbon footprint?
Recycling cars and metals is one of the most effective ways to lower the UK’s overall carbon footprint.
Producing new materials from scratch (especially steel and aluminium) requires vast amounts of energy, fuel, and raw resources.
In contrast, recycling metals already in circulation uses far less energy and generates far fewer emissions.
For example:
- Recycling steel saves around 1.6 tonnes of CO₂ for every tonne processed.
- Recycling aluminium saves up to 9 tonnes of CO₂ per tonne.
- Manufacturing products from recycled metals uses up to 95% less energy than producing them from virgin ores.
Through our network of Environment Agency–approved ATFs, Scrap Local ensures every end-of-life vehicle is depolluted, dismantled, and recycled in a way that maximises material recovery and minimises carbon output.
This means:
- Fewer raw materials need to be mined.
- Less waste goes to landfill.
- More usable parts and metals are kept in circulation.
By removing older, high-emission vehicles from UK roads and recycling them responsibly, we help cut national CO₂ emissions and support the government’s Net Zero 2050 and Minimum Destruction Waste Targets (MDWT) 2026.
Every car recycled through Scrap Local contributes to a cleaner, lower-carbon future, proving that even small changes at an individual level can make a measurable difference to the planet.
Further reading: Mandatory Digital Waste Tracking 2026 Guide
Customer Support
If there’s something you’d like more clarity on, or if we haven’t covered your question above, please get in touch with our team.
We’re always happy to explain more about how recycling works, what happens to your vehicle, or how your choices help protect the environment.
Our FAQs are updated regularly to include the latest sustainability targets and legislation, so if you’re unsure about anything, reach out to us on social media or via our contact page.
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