Ferrous metal
Metal that contains iron, mainly steel and cast iron, which makes up most of a car's weight.
Ferrous metals contain iron. In a car that means steel body panels, frame, many engine parts and cast-iron components. Ferrous scrap is magnetic, which is how shredders separate it from other materials.
Because steel makes up most of a junk car’s weight, ferrous scrap prices drive the baseline value of a car sold for scrap. Yards usually price cars per ton based on this market.
The EPA notes that ferrous metals, iron and steel, are the largest category of metals in municipal solid waste by weight, and that large quantities are also found in transportation products such as automobiles, which are counted separately.1
References
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U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, “Ferrous Metals: Material-Specific Data”, https://www.epa.gov/facts-and-figures-about-materials-waste-and-recycling/ferrous-metals-material-specific-data ↩