What Is Scrap Metal Recycling?

Scrap metal might not look glamorous, but it is a multi-billion dollar industry. Scrap metal recycling is not as popular as other types of recycling materials. Recycling metals reduces the amount of mining ore throughout the world. Unfortunately, metals such as steel, brass, iron, copper, and aluminum are found in the garbage. The problem is there’s a lack of knowledge about metal recycling.

Metals are of two types, ferrous and non-ferrous. Ferrous metal is not worth much. To determine which metal you are dealing with, there’s a simple magnet trick you can perform. Grab a magnet and bring it near the metal. If the magnet sticks, that’s a ferrous metal. Common examples are iron and steel. On the other hand, if the magnet does not stick to the metal, that’s a nonferrous metal. These include copper, bronze, stainless steel, aluminum, brass, and similar others. They are highly valuable to recycle.

Benefits of Recycling Scrap Metal

Thinking about recycling scrap metal but not sure about it? Have a look at these benefits for more validation:

Environment Benefits

By recycling metal, you are preserving the environment. Never consider scrap metal trash. It is a resource and that too precious one. It can be melted and reshaped into a new product. The production of a new metal takes far more energy than otherwise. This exercise results in the emission of greenhouse gases which may influence the climate and cause air pollution.

Conserve Energy

By recycling scrap metal, tons of energy is saved. If you recycle a single can of beverage made from aluminum, you are conserving energy that’s sufficient to power 60 watts light bulb for more than 4 hours. This is huge, right?

Economic Benefits

It’s amazing that by recycling metal, up to 36 times more jobs are created than sending the metal waste of a landfill. Recycling takes a lot of work and hence more labor is required. If you would like to contribute and help more people get employed, recycle scrap metal and do this world a favor.

Save Money

If more and more people start realizing how beneficial it is to recycle metal, this could eventually help save money. How? Because the cost of producing metal items will reduce. In turn, the metal good will be less costly to purchase. When items such as canned food and beverages start costing even less, people will save more money.

 

Bottom Line

Still not convinced? What can be a better motivator than learning that recycling scrap metal is actually a way to make money?

If you want to earn, make sure you collect the valuable metals since they are worth more. You don’t need to search for the metal in the garbage. It could be lying there in your house.