
Spark plugs are an important part of a car’s engine, and they need to be replaced regularly. When they are old and no longer working properly, they can be recycled. There are many recycling centers that will take old spark plugs and recycle them.
If your vehicle is running properly, you shouldn’t need to replace your spark plugs very often. However, when the time comes, it’s important to know what to do with the old ones. Here are a few options for disposing of old spark plugs:
1. Check with your local auto parts store. Many stores have recycling programs for old spark plugs and other car parts.
2. Contact a scrap metal dealer.
They may be interested in taking your old spark plugs off your hands.
3. Throw them away in the trash. This is probably the easiest option, but make sure you dispose of them properly so they don’t end up in landfill sites where they could cause pollution problems.
NGK Spark Plugs ??? Do Not Throw Old Spark Plugs in the Trash !
Are Spark Plugs Worth Anything in Scrap?
Spark plugs are made of metal and ceramic, so they can be recycled as scrap. The average spark plug is worth about five cents in scrap.
Can Spark Plugs Go in the Bin?
Spark plugs are one of those car parts that you don’t really think about until they need to be replaced. And when that time comes, you might be wondering – can spark plugs go in the bin?
The answer is no, spark plugs cannot go in the bin.
While they may seem like small and insignificant parts, they actually contain a lot of valuable metals that can be recycled. So next time you need to replace your spark plugs, make sure to take them to a recycling center.
Here’s a closer look at what spark plugs are made of and why recycling them is so important:
Spark Plugs Are Made of Precious Metals
Spark plugs may be small, but they’re actually made of some pretty valuable materials. The tip of the spark plug, for example, is usually made of platinum or iridium.
These metals are extremely rare and very expensive – just 1 gram of platinum can sell for over $1000!
In addition to the precious metal tip, most spark plugs also have a steel shell and an electrode made of copper or nickel alloy. Together, these metals add up to quite a bit of value – so it’s definitely worth recycling your old spark plugs rather than throwing them away.
Recycling Spark Plugs Helps conserve Natural Resources
In addition to containing valuable metals,recycling helps conserve natural resources by reducing mining operations..
Every year, mining companies extract millions of tonsof minerals from the earth in order to produce new products like carsand phones. This process takes a heavy toll on the environmentand depletes our planet’s supplyof precious minerals.By recycling items likespark plugs , we can help reduce demandfor new minerals and slow down mining operations .This conserves our natural resources and benefits boththe environment and future generations .
Can I Clean And Reuse My Spark Plugs?
Yes, you can clean and reuse your spark plugs. However, it is important to note that doing so may reduce the lifespan of the plug. Additionally, it is important to make sure that the plugs are properly cleaned before they are reused.
Can You Extract Iridium from Spark Plugs?
Iridium is a chemical element with the symbol Ir and atomic number 77. A very hard, brittle, silvery-white transition metal of the platinum group, iridium is the second-densest element (after osmium) and is the most corrosion-resistant metal, even at temperatures as high as 2000 °C. Although only certain rare compounds of iridium are slightly soluble in water, the element has a great affinity for oxygen—even more so than ruthenium and osmium—and forms a protective oxide coating in air that resists oxidation at high temperatures.
Iridium was discovered in 1803 by Smithson Tennant, who precipitated it as an insoluble black powder from platinum chloride; he named it after the Greek goddess Iris (Ἶρις), personification of the rainbow, because of its many coloured salts. The name iridium is derived from the Latin word Iris (“rainbow”). The mineralogist John Henry Bennett was also credited with independently discovering iridium in 1848 while studying ore samples found near Goldville, Alabama; however his work was largely forgotten until rediscovered by James Dwight Dana around 1890–1900.
Commercial production of iridium involves extracting it from natural alloys such as platiniridium which contains about 80% platinum and 20% iridium by mass. In turn these alloys are produced from pentlandite ((Fe,Ni)9S8), which contains small quantities of Ir alongside other metals such as cobalt or nickel.

Credit: blog.1aauto.com
Does Autozone Recycle Spark Plugs
If you’re looking to get rid of your old spark plugs, you might be wondering if AutoZone will recycle them for you. The answer is yes! AutoZone does recycle spark plugs.
All you have to do is bring them into your local store and they’ll take care of the rest.
Conclusion
It’s always a good idea to have a few spare spark plugs on hand, but what do you do with the old ones? Here are a few ideas:
1. Give them to a friend or family member who might need them.
2. Take them to a local recycling center that accepts metals.
3. Throw them in the trash (but check with your local authorities first to see if this is allowed).
4. Use them as garden stakes or tomato supports.
Just be sure to drill a hole in the center of each plug first!