Old vehicles are filled with fluids and components that can be harmful to the environment. Things like power steering fluid, battery acid, antifreeze, and even lead (from the batteries) can get into the air, soil, and water when vehicles are left to rot on lawns or are abandoned in landfills. At a salvage yard, all of the potentially damaging components of an old vehicle are properly disposed of in a way that is not detrimental to the environment.