Car Recycle Market

Market Overview

The global car recycle market size was valued at USD 86.42 billion in 2023. It is estimated to reach USD 244.31 billion by 2032, growing at a CAGR of 12.24% during the forecast period (2024–2032). Growing environmental consciousness and stringent government regulations on vehicle emissions and waste management have propelled the demand for car recycling. Moreover, innovations in recycling technologies have made the process more efficient, allowing recyclers to extract a higher volume of reusable materials. Advanced sorting and separation techniques enable more precise recovery of metals and plastics, contributing to the growth of the car recycling market.

Car recycling involves reusing restored parts as well as shredding and recycling car materials like plastics, aluminum, and steel. At the end of their life, vehicles are taken to recycling facilities, where they are dismantled, crushed, shredded, and sorted to recover valuable materials. Various components are removed for reuse or recycling during this process, including steel, aluminum, plastic, and more. 

Key steps in the car recycling process include

• Dismantling: In this stage, valuable parts such as engines, transmissions, wheels, tires, and sound systems are removed for reuse or refurbishment. Toxic components like batteries and fluids are also safely extracted.
• Crushing: The remaining vehicle structure, primarily composed of steel, is crushed into compact forms for easier handling and transport.
• Shredding: The crushed vehicles are fed into shredders, reducing them to small pieces for more efficient sorting.
• Material Recovery: Advanced technologies like eddy current, laser, infrared, and buoyancy-based separators are used to sort the shredded material into specific streams, such as ferrous metals, non-ferrous metals, plastics, and other recyclable materials.

Top 4 Key Highlights

• Passenger cars dominate the type segment.
• Steel dominates the material segment.
• Door panel dominates the part segment.
• North America is the highest shareholder in the global market

Market Dynamics

Market Drivers

Increasing Concerns About the Environment

Pollution from industrialization and vehicle emissions has reached critical levels, exacerbating climate change and impacting public health. Governments worldwide have responded by implementing policies encouraging recycling and using recycled materials in manufacturing. In many countries, federal tax incentives motivate individuals to sell their older cars for recycling rather than letting them languish as pollutants. Statistics reveal that nearly half of American cars are over six years old, and about 25% are between eight and ten years old (Gaydos). Meanwhile, just 1% of the 250 million registered vehicles in the United States were produced in the last five years. This aging vehicle population contributes significantly to the pollution problem, as older cars tend to emit more pollutants due to deteriorated parts and outdated technology.

Furthermore, the high cost of maintenance and repairs for older cars drives the trend toward car recycling. After about six years of use, many car parts wear out, and some components may break beyond repair. Rather than spending increasingly large sums on upkeep, many car owners find it more economical to sell their vehicles for recycling or to purchase a newer, more efficient model. This growing trend has made car recycling an important industry, providing environmental benefits and promoting sustainable practices. Recovering valuable components like steel, aluminum, and plastic from old vehicles lowers the carbon footprint associated with manufacturing and lessens the need for new raw materials. This is expected to drive market growth over the forecast period.

Market Restraint

High Cost of Recycling

Recycling a car involves dismantling the vehicle to extract valuable and recyclable components like steel, aluminum, and other materials. This process typically costs around USD 1,400 due to the labor-intensive tasks of disassembly, sorting, and recycling various vehicle components. Alternatively, scrapping a car is simpler and less expensive, generally costing USD 150 to USD 300 less than recycling. Therefore, some individuals opt to salvage the vehicle to save money, especially if they have the necessary skills and tools. Salvaging a vehicle involves dismantling it for usable parts or materials without mixing components from different cars. This is crucial for maintaining the integrity and quality of the salvaged parts. Individuals can save money by salvaging a vehicle in compliance with legal requirements while contributing to environmentally sustainable recycling practices. This can hinder market growth.

Market Opportunities

Rising Vehicle Age and Lifestyle Changes

As vehicle age increases and consumer lifestyles evolve, the car recycling market is poised for significant opportunities. Older vehicles, often with outdated technology and higher emissions, are becoming more prevalent on the road. This trend is due to economic factors that lead people to hold onto cars longer, but it also provides a fertile ground for the car recycling industry. As these aging cars reach the end of their useful life, they create a steady stream of recyclable materials, including steel, aluminum, plastics, and other valuable components.

At the same time, lifestyle changes—such as a rising knowledge of environmental issues and a shift toward urban living—are driving demand for more sustainable transportation options. Consumers are increasingly turning to EVs and hybrid cars, which are more energy-efficient and produce fewer emissions. This shift creates a demand for recycling facilities that can efficiently process and repurpose parts from traditional gasoline and diesel vehicles, thereby reducing the environmental impact of car disposal. These converging factors present a unique opportunity for the car recycling market.

Regional Analysis

Based on region, the global car recycle market is bifurcated into North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East and Africa. 

North America's car recycle market share is expected to expand substantially during the forecast period. The United States boasts a well-established car recycling industry that employs over 100,000 individuals. The rising demand for products made from recycled materials—such as aluminum, steel, and plastic—has fueled this expansion. The region's growth is also driven by the rising demand for new automobiles, which creates a continuous need for recycling end-of-life vehicles. The U.S. Department of Transportation estimates that recycling saves as much as 1.9 million gallons of gasoline and diesel fuel each year, reducing carbon monoxide emissions by 26 million pounds annually. By recycling cars, the industry reduces carbon dioxide emissions and alleviates air pollution. 

Furthermore, car recycling helps to reduce stress on landfills, which currently hold around 262 million scrap tires, enough to circle the Earth five times. According to The Smithsonian, car recycling saves the U.S. economy approximately USD 1 billion in energy costs annually. Given these benefits, North America is expected to dominate the car recycling market during the forecast period, with the United States having the highest vehicle recycling rate globally. This leadership is attributed to the well-established infrastructure, strong demand for recycled materials, and significant environmental benefits. The ongoing focus on sustainability and energy efficiency will likely continue to propel market growth.

Segmental Analysis

The global car recycle market is bifurcated into type, material, and part.

Based on type, the global car recycle market is segmented into passenger cars recycling and commercial vehicles recycling.

The passenger cars segment dominates the type segment. This is due to a combination of governmental regulations and the high volume of cars produced and used on roads. Governments worldwide are enacting stricter norms, rules, and regulations that render older cars obsolete, leading to a surge in the number of end-of-life vehicles (ELVs) requiring recycling. Because passenger cars are the most common type of vehicle, their recycling plays a crucial role in conserving resources and reducing environmental impact. Recycling passenger cars involves dismantling the vehicle to recover valuable and recyclable components such as steel, aluminum, plastics, and other materials. This process helps reduce energy consumption and the demand for raw materials, contributing to a more sustainable automotive industry. The high production volume and shorter lifespan of passenger cars drive a constant flow of recyclable materials, which supports the growth of the passenger cars recycling segment.

Based on material, the global car recycle market is segmented into iron, aluminum, steel, rubber, copper, glass, plastic, and others.

The steel segment owns the highest market share. The steel segment is a significant part of the car recycling process, dominating the materials segment due to steel's extensive use in the automotive industry—accounting for approximately 60% of a vehicle's weight. Recycling steel from end-of-life vehicles is crucial because it conserves energy and natural resources. It also reduces the need for new raw materials, significantly contributing to environmental sustainability. Annually, recycling steel saves enough energy to power about 18 million households. This is because recycling metal uses roughly 74% less energy than producing new steel. Additionally, car recycling conserves resources by diverting 11 million tons of steel and 800,000 tons of nonferrous metals from landfills yearly, ensuring these valuable materials are reused instead of discarded. The car recycling process is complex due to the various components to dismantle and the hazardous materials to handle, but recycling steel plays a pivotal role in its efficiency. End-of-life vehicle recyclers save around 85 million barrels of oil annually by recycling steel, which would otherwise be consumed in new manufacturing processes. This reduces carbon emissions and lowers production costs, promoting a circular economy.

Based on the part, the global car recycle market is bifurcated into door panels, gas tanks, engine and transmission, wheels, and others.

The door panel segment dominates the global market. This is due to its fundamental role in vehicles' structural integrity and aesthetic appeal. Door panels are vital components that ensure safety, insulation, and design continuity. This segment comprises various elements, including the complete car door, lower door skin, rocker panel, dogleg, wheel arch panel, wheelhouse, and quarter panel. Moreover, the dominance of the door panel segment can be attributed to the high replacement rate of these parts, especially front door hinges, which endure significant wear and tear over a vehicle's lifetime. As vehicles age, their door components are prone to damage from accidents, weathering, and general use, resulting in a consistent demand for replacement parts in the aftermarket. This steady demand has made the door panel segment a key contributor to the growth of the car recycling market.

Recent Developments

• March 2024- Near Delhi, Tata Motors, the foremost automaker in India, commenced operations at its fifth Registered Vehicle Scrapping Facility (RVSF). The Recycle with Respect (Re.Wi.Re) facility has been specifically engineered to deconstruct obsolete vehicles in a manner that is ecologically sustainable. The annual capacity of this facility is 18,000 responsibly dismantled end-of-life vehicles.
• July 2023- Envision Racing, the British Formula E racing team, unveiled a racing car made from electronic waste. The drivable car, known as Recover-e, was unveiled at the ExCeL exhibition center in London ahead of the city's e-prix race on July 30, the final race of the 2022/23 Formula E season.