Recycle Your Car for the Environment

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Eco-Friendly Auto Recycling in California

What is Auto Recycling?

Auto recycling is the process used by licensed and trained recycling yards in California to break down and recover valuable parts and materials from junk cars which have reached the end of their useful life. At CA 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.

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Tax Benefits of Vehicle Recycling
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Easy & Impactful

“Recycling with SHiFT was something that we could do that was quick, it was easy, it was impactful. And just the right thing to do for us.”

– Rebecca & Rupert

Why Recycle My Car?

Owners understandably want to get the most value when scrapping a car. While reselling or trading in your older car can help you recoup some money, donating it for recycling offers unique perks — like a potential $500 tax deduction — and some programs will accept a vehicle in any condition. Even more importantly, recycling your car can be one of the most environmentally sustainable choices you can make.

Thanks to decades of innovation, modern vehicles are now 85-90% recyclable when donated to the right service. The best processes maximize the reuse of parts and materials, eliminating carbon emissions from producing new parts or from landfill dumping.

Fully retiring older and less efficient gas engines through recycling has even greater benefits. Older gas engines on average produce 5-10 tons of CO2 per year! By recycling your car with a leading recycling program in California, you’re not just reducing waste — you’re eliminating a major source of greenhouse gas emissions. 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, can have a significant positive impact on the environment.

Impact Calculator

Best Way to Recycle Your Car in CA

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 California’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 California

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

  • California’s Air Resources Board works with local districts to run the Voluntary Accelerated Vehicle Retirement Program, which provides incentives on new/leased clean vehicles, or pre-paid public transit, in exchange for retiring a running older vehicle. Keep in mind, this program has strict requirements around recent registration, vehicle operability, and passing smog requirements. 
  • The Bureau of Automotive Repair also has a vehicle retirement program called the Consumer Assistance Program, which provides monetary incentive for eligible consumers with vehicles not passing smog requirements. Similarly, this program has other strict requirements around recent registration and vehicle operability. 
  • California’s official state recycling website (other goods), CalRecycle

B&R Autowrecking, headquartered in Gerber, CA, is a business that has been involved in the recycling community throughout California for over 40 years! A leader in environmental car recycling, B&R Autowrecking 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 B&R Autowrecking’s mission.

Higgins Auto Parts in Bakersfield CA

Higgins Auto Parts, headquartered in Bakersfield, CA, is actively involved in the recycling community throughout California. A leader in environmental car recycling, Higgins Auto Parts is an ARA Certified Auto Recycler (CAR), which means they uphold the highest standards and protocols of auto recycling. Higgins Auto Parts utilizes cutting edge vehicle dismantling, fluid recovery, and part inventorization to safely and cleanly maximize the recycled content on every vehicle.

Green Garden Auto Parts in Lakeside, CA

Green Garden Auto Parts serves the greater Lakeside, CA area and is also CAR certified leader in sustainable car recycling! Green Garden Auto Parts 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

2026 State-by-State Hybrid Battery Disposal Laws: A Guide to Legal Compliance & Environmental Protection

Ignorance of the law is no longer a defense. As of January 1, 2026, the “crush and ship” era is officially over. With New Jersey’s new producer mandates, Washington’s phased stewardship, and strict waste bans in Massachusetts and Texas, the regulatory landscape for hybrid vehicle retirement has never been more complex. Our latest guide breaks down the three layers of liability you need to know to keep your facility compliant and our planet safe.

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