Recycle Your Car for the Environment

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Eco-Friendly Auto Recycling in Colorado

What is Auto Recycling?

Auto recycling is the process used by licensed and trained recycling yards in Colorado to break down and recover valuable parts and materials from junk cars which have reached the end of their useful life. At CO auto recycling centers, vehicles are carefully separated into:

  • reusable or repairable parts
  • bulk materials like steel, aluminum, and certain plastics which are refined to be used again in new production
  • fluids like washer fluid, oil, antifreeze, and gasoline for refinement or responsible disposal


Learn more awesome nerdy details about the car recycling process here.

Recycle Your Vehicle with SHiFT

Why Recycle My Car?

Colorado owners understandably look for the best possible value when scrapping their car. Reselling or trading in your older car can help you recoup some money, but donating it for recycling offers unique advantages — like a potential $500 tax deduction — and some programs will even accept a vehicle in any condition. Arguably, the largest benefit of donating your car for recycling is the significant positive impact it will have on the environment.

Vehicles are 85-90% recyclable when they are donated to the right program, thanks to years of innovation. The best processes maximize the reuse of parts and materials, eliminating carbon emissions from producing new parts or from landfill dumping.

Fully retiring older, less efficient gas engines has additional benefits. On average, these older engines emit 5-10 tons of CO2 per year! Your donation can eliminate a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions simply by finding a reputable recycling program in Colorado. Want to see the impact for yourself? Use our carbon impact calculator to explore how your choices to fully recycle your car and upgrade to a greener vehicle, or even switching to public transit, would positively impact on the environment.

Impact Calculator

Best Way to Recycle Your Car in CO

Unfortunately, not all end of life vehicles are processed the same. In many cases when vehicles are traded in, sold directly to junk yards, and even when donating to some charities, the vehicle is sold to export countries which may not have the same strict recycling protocols or emissions standards that we have in the U.S. That means your old vehicle or engine may continue to run without proper emissions control equipment like catalytic converters, polluting at even higher rates than when you owned it.

The SHiFT Vehicle Retirement Initiative® is Colorado’s most environmentally conscious auto recycling program, committed to recycling every car that comes through our doors in a way that would make our Mother Earth proud. When you donate your car with SHiFT, you’re guaranteed that:

  • The process will be hassle-free, and we’ll accept your vehicle in any condition, working and registered or not. All we need is your car and the title
  • Your car will be recycled by only the best auto recycling centers, operated by licensed and trained professionals using the latest sustainable protocols
  • The engine from your car will never pollute roadways again — it cannot be reused or sold
  • You’ll receive a certificate of carbon reduction and tax receipt
 

When you choose SHiFT, you aren’t just throwing away a junk car — you’re taking actionable steps to reduce waste, conserve resources, and eliminate carbon emissions for our planet with our unique engine retirement guarantee. Learn more about the SHiFT initiative here

Our 4 Easy Steps to Car Recycling in Colorado

Step 1: Fill out the donation form

We’ll ask for some information about your vehicle including the VIN, year, make, model, mileage, and condition. Then you’ll tell us your contact information and where the car will be picked up. If you’re completing the form on a mobile device, you’ll also have the option to take photos of your vehicle.

Step 2: Track your vehicle

After you submit the donation form, you will receive a confirmation email with access to your Donor Console. From the Donor Console, you can track your car donation in real-time. You’ll also be able to access title transfer instructions and tax information.

Step 3: Schedule car pick up time

We’ll assign your vehicle to a licensed towing agent. The towing agent will contact you within 2-3 business days to schedule a car pick up time most convenient for you. Your car will be towed for free! At the time of pick up, you’ll hand over the car keys and signed title to the tow driver. 

Step 4: Count your carbon offset

After your car is picked up and received by a licensed recycler and SHiFT partner, you will receive a certification of carbon reduction. The certification confirms the emissions producing engine from your vehicle will never pollute again, and we’ll tell you the estimated annual carbon savings per year because of your donation to the SHiFT program. With the certification, you’ll also get a tax receipt for deduction on your taxes (if eligible; please consult with a tax professional).

Recycle Your Car Now

The SHiFT Difference

Full Retirement Guarantee

We are the only program to guarantee the complete retirement of your vehicle’s engine, providing proof through a carbon certification

Environmental Impact

Reduce waste and conserve natural resources through responsible recycling

Certified Recycling Process

We partner with certified facilities that ensure safe and compliant disposal

Hassle-Free Process

We handle everything, from free pick up to documentation, making an easy process

State Recycling Resources

  • When it comes to solid waste disposal, both the state of Colorado and SHiFT are constantly working to ensure the proper disposal of vehicle related materials such as tires, and waste tires. Many fail to understand the need for proper disposal when it comes to tires, and unfortunately many of these tires end up polluting the environment by being thrown alongside the road, in the woods, or even ending up in the water. The Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment provides a list of resources that can be used to ensure proper waste tire disposal.
  • In order to ensure that Colorado’s air quality remains sufficient, the state encourages you to bring in your personal vehicle for emissions testing. Beginning in 2026, Colorado drivers in specific counties will have access to self-serving kiosks regarding ‘On-Board Diagnostics (OBD). The state currently provides numerous resources pertaining to emissions testing and has separate sections for both gasoline vehicles and diesel vehicles to assist you in the process!
  • In order to promote a healthier environment, the state of Colorado offers the ‘Vehicle Exchange Colorado Program (VXC).’ The VXC assists income-qualified individuals recycle & replace their high-emitting vehicles with electric vehicles. When awarded, the VXC rebate will partially cover the upfront costs of an EV at the time of purchase/lease from a state authorized EV dealer. If you don’t plan to purchase an EV to replace your older car, or are looking for the fastest way to recycle your vehicle, SHiFT is a great option.

Best Auto Recyclers in Colorado

Adam’s Wrecking, headquartered in La Junta, Colorado, is a family owned business that has been involved in the recycling community throughout Colorado for over 20 years!

A leader in environmental car recycling, Adam’s Wrecking is an ARA Certified Auto Recycler (CAR), which means they uphold the highest standards and protocols of auto recycling.  Environmental compliance has always been a very important part of Adam’s Wrecking’s mission. 

Affordable Towing serves the greater Vail area and is also CAR certified leader in sustainable car recycling! Affordable Towing utilizes cutting edge vehicle dismantling, fluid recovery, and part inventorization to safely and cleanly maximize the recycled content on every vehicle.

Hybrid Battery Disposal Laws

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SHiFT® and Stadium Auto Parts Featured in The Colorado Sun

SHiFT® was recently featured in The Colorado Sun for helping get old, high-polluting vehicles off the road and advancing sustainable auto recycling. The article spotlights SHiFT’s guaranteed vehicle retirement process and highlights certified partner Stadium Auto Parts, an 80-year leader in responsible recycling. Together, SHiFT and Stadium ensure every vehicle is processed to completion—engines decommissioned, materials reclaimed, and pollutants kept out of the environment. Read more about how SHiFT and our partners are creating a cleaner, more circular future for automotive recycling.

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