Boneyard

Scrap or treasure? What happens to machines once their useful life has ended?
From consumer electronics to ships, cars and oil rigs, what happens to our technology once it has served its purpose? This new series from 'History' reveals the astonishing levels of ingenuity, innovation and technical prowess that goes into breaking down, recycling and repurposing so much of what we throw away.
It’s not unusual to think of glass, metal and plastic being melted down and recycled, but what happens to larger, more specialised materials and technology that comes to the end of its useful life?
How does one even begin to break down something the size of an aircraft or a train? What happens to mines when their seams run dry? And what is the solution when the time comes to dismantle an oil rig: one of the largest structures made by man, built to withstand hurricanes and located in the middle of the ocean?
This 13-part series answers all these questions and more, including one of the largest salvage jobs undertaken in recent years: fixing New Orleans in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.