In these climate-conscious times, many of us are looking for ways to lead a more sustainable lifestyle or run a greener business. By recycling your waste, you can reduce the amount of rubbish sent to landfill and help conserve natural resources.
Whether you are clearing out your garage at home, or you have been working on a large-scale construction project, you might find yourself with scrap metal that needs disposing of – but have you ever wondered what happens to these metal items when they leave your hands and enter the waste management process?
Continue reading to find out more about how often scrap metal can be recycled and what happens to the metal if it is recycled more than once.
What types of scrap metal are there?
There are two types of scrap metal: ferrous and non-ferrous. Both of these metal types can be recycled more than once without losing their quality. This means that they can be used for a new purpose, therefore reducing the amount of resources and energy that goes into making something from scratch.
All modern recycling facilities should have the means to collect, recycle and repurpose scrap metal safely and responsibly in line with all the relevant environmental regulations. So, what types of metal fall under the ferrous and non-ferrous categories, and how does the recycling process impact them?
Which ferrous metals can be recycled?
As long as the metal hasn't been contaminated, ferrous metals can be recycled. The most prominent one is steel as it is used in a wide variety of products and applications, from construction materials to household items.
Steel can be recycled over and again without its quality being impacted and can be reused in different ways, including car frames, food packaging and kitchen appliances.
Which non-ferrous metals can be recycled?
Similar to ferrous metals, non-ferrous metals can be recycled as long as they aren't contaminated. The most popular non-ferrous metals are:
- Stainless steel – can be easily recycled many times over without losing its quality
- Copper – limitlessly recyclable and can be easily reshaped or melted into something new
- Aluminium – is fully recyclable and can be reused as new cans, car parts and construction materials
- Brass – can be recycled multiple times and is commonly used for household items, such as locks, hinges, sockets and plumbing
- Lead – can be recycled multiple times depending on its purity and is primarily used to make new lead-acid batteries
What is contaminated metal?
You might've noticed that we have mentioned contaminated metals a couple of times in this article – but what does it mean to have contaminated metal?
As the name suggests, these are metals that have previously been in contact with or have contained a chemical substance, examples of which are cans, old pipes or metal containers that have had paint, petrol or oil in them.
Regardless of how thoroughly these metals are cleaned, there will likely be traces of contamination on them which impacts their purity and means they cannot be recycled.
For a safe, regulated place to dispose of your scrap metal in Harlow, Essex or any of the surrounding areas, look no further than Hill Metal Recycling. Contribute to a greener future — contact us today to find out how we can exchange payment for your scrap ferrous or non-ferrous metal.