Why can't we recycle all parts of a car? Germany recycles almost
everything it produces. In other countries, people pick dumps
for plastic and are paid. Asked by Janice Hallee, David Mathieu
Autobody, Waterville, Maine My first impulse in responding to a
question like this is to evaluate the economics of the
situation: is there a demand? Is there a supply to meet that
demand? Is there an opportunity for someone to gain a positive
advantage if they develop some kind of solid, business-based
solution? There are at least two possibilities for recycling an
automobile at the end of its useful life: 1) harvest any
remaining usable parts and assemblies to be used in the repair
of other vehicles, or 2) turn it into scrap to be processed and
recycled into another generation of new products. Then there are
components like mercury switches that are removed from vehicles
to minimize damage to the environment. Let’s look at the two
primary recycling options. Then, let’s ask the basic question
again: “Is there a demand for