Car recycling: how much of your old car is reused - pictures

"Once the processes are running at full tilt, only one per cent of cars could be left uncrecycled."

De-pollute - Only one of the UK's Authorised Treatment Facilities can issue a certificate of destruction needed to scrap a car.

Shredder - The huge shredder breaks scrap cars into tiny pieces, which are then placed on a conveyor to be separated.

Magnets - Steel makes up over two thirds of a car's weight, and once it's been retrieved, it's exported.

EMR Group's Graham Carus (right), explains the process to consumer editor Joe Finnerty.

Vacuum - Large vacuum lifts the lighter materials, like fabrics and plastics, away from steel so it can be recycled.

Heavy media - Operatives separate the remaining metals using flotation, so aluminium parts can be removed from the conveyor.

Plastic polymers - Pellets are the product of recycling different types of plastic from inside the car, and they're used for new moulds.

Gasification - This huge site in the West Midlands converts lighter cabin materials into gas, which is then fed back into the National Grid.