Junk Car Statistics
A comprehensive look at the auto recycling industry in the United States. How many cars are junked each year, what they're worth, and why it matters.
How Many Cars Are Junked Each Year?
The United States processes millions of end-of-life vehicles annually, making auto recycling one of the largest industries in the country.
Source: U.S. Department of Transportation, Automotive Recyclers Association
Cars recycled per minute
Nationwide, about 26 automobiles are recycled every minute in the United States.
Source: Road & Track
Annual scrappage rate
The percentage of vehicles in operation that are scrapped each year has held steady at around 4.5% since 2023.
Source: S&P Global Mobility
Vehicles in operation in the US
The US vehicle fleet continues to grow, reaching over 289 million light vehicles in 2025. The fleet grows by approximately 2-3 million vehicles per year.
Source: S&P Global Mobility
Vehicle Age Statistics
Cars are lasting longer than ever. The average age of vehicles on US roads has hit record highs as owners hold onto their vehicles longer due to high new car prices and improved vehicle durability.
Vehicles over 6 years old
About 70% of all vehicles in operation are 6 years or older, expected to hold at this level through 2028.
Source: S&P Global Mobility
Average age of junked vehicles (years)
Most junked vehicles are between 10-15 years old with high mileage. Repair costs often exceed their market value.
Source: Automotive Recyclers Association
Average age of EVs (years)
Electric vehicles remain much younger than the overall fleet. As EV sales growth slows, the average age is expected to rise as the existing fleet ages.
Source: S&P Global Mobility
The Auto Recycling Industry
What Gets Recycled
Automobiles are the most recycled consumer product in the world. Nearly every part of a vehicle can be reused, repurposed, or recycled.
End-of-life vehicles recycled
About 95% of all vehicles retired from use in the US are recycled in some form.
Source: Automotive Recyclers Association
Vehicle materials that can be recycled
Approximately 86% of a vehicle's material content can be reused, recycled, or used for energy recovery.
Source: Steel Sustainability
Recycled steel from vehicles annually
The automotive industry provides more than 14 million tons of recycled steel to the steel industry each year—enough to produce 13 million new automobiles.
Source: Steel Sustainability
Vehicle weight that is steel/iron
By weight, the typical passenger car consists of about 60% steel and iron. The recycling rate for these materials is close to 100%.
Source: World Auto Steel
Car batteries recycled
Lead-acid car batteries are one of the most successfully recycled products, with 98-99% being recycled.
Source: EPA
Ferrous metal from auto recycling
Across North America, automotive recycling provides around 40% of ferrous metal for the scrap processing industry.
Source: World Auto Steel
"Although aluminum represents less than 10% of a vehicle by weight, it accounts for nearly 50% of the vehicle's scrap value. Approximately 90% of aluminum is recovered and recycled from end-of-life vehicles."
— Steel MintEnvironmental Impact
Auto recycling is one of the most environmentally beneficial industries. It conserves natural resources, prevents pollution, and reduces greenhouse gas emissions.
Fluids salvaged per vehicle
About 5-10 gallons of oil, coolant, and other fluids are safely salvaged from each recycled car, preventing groundwater contamination.
Source: Automotive Recyclers Association
Exxon Valdez equivalents prevented
Every year, the amount of hazardous fluids and oils reclaimed safely by auto recyclers equals 8 Exxon Valdez oil spills.
Source: The Balance SMB
Energy savings vs. new metal production
Recycling metal uses roughly 74% less energy than producing new steel from raw materials.
Source: Steel Sustainability
Auto shredder residue to landfill
About 20% of a vehicle can't be recycled. Nearly 3 million tons of this "auto shredder residue" ends up in landfills each year.
Source: EPA
Total Loss & Accident Statistics
A significant portion of junked vehicles come from insurance total losses—where the cost to repair exceeds the vehicle's value. This trend has accelerated in recent years.
Total loss threshold
Most insurance companies declare a vehicle a total loss when repair costs reach 70-80% of the car's actual cash value.
Source: Kelley Blue Book
Flood-damaged vehicles annually
Hurricanes, floods, and major storms damage hundreds of thousands of vehicles each year, many of which are totaled.
Source: Cars.com
Catalytic Converter Theft
Catalytic converter theft became an epidemic in 2020-2022 as precious metal prices spiked. The trend has since reversed dramatically, with thefts falling to near pre-pandemic levels.
Average insurance claim for stolen converter
The average claim cost remained steady at nearly $2,900. Replacement can cost $1,000-$3,500 depending on the vehicle.
Source: State Farm, NICB
Peak rhodium price per ounce (2021)
Rhodium—one of the precious metals in converters—rose from $3,000/oz in 2019 to nearly $26,000 in 2021, fueling the theft surge.
Source: NBC News
States with most converter thefts
California and Texas experienced more than 32,000 catalytic converter thefts combined in 2022—about half of all US thefts.
Source: NICB
Key Industry Milestones
Sources & References
- S&P Global Mobility – Vehicle age, VIO, scrappage rates
- Automotive Recyclers Association – Industry statistics
- U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics
- National Insurance Crime Bureau – Theft statistics
- State Farm – Catalytic converter claims data
- Environmental Protection Agency
- World Auto Steel – Recycling rates
- Kelley Blue Book – Total loss thresholds
- Axios – Total loss trends
- Wikipedia – Vehicle recycling overview
Ready to junk your car?
Join the millions of vehicles recycled each year. Get an instant offer and free towing.
Get Cash for Your Junk Car