Green Decision: Buy Used Auto Parts

Saying automobiles the world’s most recycled consumer product, a Richmond, Virginia-based car parts supplier is calling for car drivers to use their company when repairs are needed.

 

 According to Joy Woodfin, founder and chief executive officer of EverDrive LLC, consumers can positively impact the environment and also save money by requesting used vehicle parts for repair.

 

“Greater awareness of the availability of quality, guaranteed used parts and increased use of these parts by consumers will contribute further to wise use of our natural resources,” Woodfin said. “Virtually everyone faces the expense of car repairs. By simply requesting a used part almost every consumer can help the environment in a cost effective way.”

 

According to one nonprofit organization that’s dedicated to auto recycling, the business of automotive recycling has morphed beyond the junkyard wrecks that people normally associate with it. There are dozens of auto parts recycling companies today.

 

Citing research from the Automotive Recyclers Association, EverDrive officials say the industry each year uses sophisticated technology to recycle car parts from more than 4 million vehicles in the United States and Canada.

 

“In part by reducing the mining and processing of natural resources and eliminating production of new parts, consumers who request used parts for vehicle repair already help save an estimated 85 million barrels of oil annually,” EverDrive officials say.

 

The company also cites a report from the Pittsburgh-based Steel Recycling Institute, saying that recycling in North America generates more than 14.5 million tons of steel annually, the equivalent of almost 13.5 million cars.

 

According to Woodfin, it’s often far cheaper – up to 50 percent – to use used rather than new parts. Used parts often come with hardware and accessories not found on new parts, making installation easier and generating even more savings, Woodfin said.

 

“In a softer economy, consumers are looking for ways to save money,” Woodfin said. “Purchasing a used part versus a new part may save a few hundred dollars or several thousand dollars in addition to the positive environmental impact.”