|
DONATE YOUR CAR TO SPECIAL OLYMPICS MASSACHUSETTS
|
| RECYCLE FOR GOLD |
| Recycle for Gold removes many of the vehicles causing environmental problems today. According to industry reports, 20% of registered vehicles are 10 years and older. However, these vehicles are responsible for 80% of air pollution. In Massachusetts this number is around 700,000 cars. With increasingly tough EPA standards, Recycle for Gold is providing an avenue by which these cars can be removed from the road. This program provides an important service to not only older vehicles, but also abandoned vehicles. Locally, many municipalities are realizing the impact of improperly disposed of vehicles. An EPA fly-over of the Town of Rockport, Massachusetts, revealed almost 100 abandon vehicles on residents' property. Acting on this information, Rockport used Recycle for Gold to help many of these people clean up their property and prevent fluids from leaking into the ground, contaminating the water table. Recycle for Gold crushes and shreds some of the vehicles donated to the program. This steel is then recycled. The reuse of steel is extremely efficient in comparison to the production of new steel. It only takes 100 lbs. of "old steel" to produce 95 lbs. of reprocessed steel, rather than 100 lbs. of iron ore to produce only 5 lbs. of new steel. This results in a tremendous savings in the amount of energy involved in steel processing. Another valuable component of auto recycling is the reuse of copper. The auto recycling industry bought nearly 2 million tons of scrap copper last in 2005. This was melted down into fresh product. The result was enough fresh copper to supply copper wiring and plumbing for all of the new buildings in the United States last year. In addition to the steel and copper being recycled, the anti-freeze, gasoline and oil are filtered and reused. The old tires are used in everything from asphalt to fuel in coal plants where they reduce emissions and burn more efficiently. Taking old vehicles off the road can have a great impact on the environment. This is a view not only shared by Special Olympics Massachusetts and Millis Industries, but also by the Federal Government. The Bush Administration promoted a program called, "Clunkers for Cash" under the philosophy that recycling old vehicles results in cleaner air for people and for the wilderness. What many people see as the end of the road for their car may be just the beginning. |
| Environmental |
| QUICK FACT: |
| Recycle for Gold has generated over $5 million for Special Olympics Massachusetts. These funds directly impact the 9,800 athletes that participate in year-round sports training and competition. |
| Home | Why Us | Donate Your Car | Support Recycle for Gold | © 2008 Special Olympics Massachusetts | |