While every day millions of Americans place household items in their recycling bin for collection, many of the common household items and office equipment made from metal – which can be successfully recycled to make new products – often get overlooked.
While many recognize the benefits of recycling and do so on a daily basis, what we need is to expand what we recycle, including items like scrap metal. In this article we’ll help you understand the benefits of recycling scrap metal and why you should do it.
Why bother recycling your scrap metal?
There are a number of reasons why so many are working to promote the recycling of metal. One of the key reasons we want to recycle our scrap metal is because of environmental benefits.
Metal recycling helps us reduce pollution by keeping scrap out of landfills which has a harmful impact on the environment. Scrap metal contains toxins that include mercury and lead, which can contaminate the soil and water around the landfill. This can pose serious health risks to people and wildlife.
Another just as important reason to recycle metal is the fact that recycling enables us to reuse metals and materials. This helps to avoid putting additional pressure on our environment and natural resources by having to get brand new metals.
Aerial view of landfill waste.
Saving Natural Resources
Without recycled metals, the only way to acquire new metal is through the mining of virgin metal ores. Most of these metal ores are found in untouched landscapes. Recycling metal helps us to avoid mining and destruction of these landscapes and helps us significantly reduce the burden on our natural resources.
Recycling one ton of steel conserves many natural resources: 2,500 pounds of iron ore, 1,400 pounds of coal, and 120 pounds of limestone.
A wide range of metals can be recycled, including aluminum, copper, steel, and iron, to name a few. Another benefit along with saving natural resources is that we save energy. Less energy is required to make products from recycled metals than from mining for new ones. Recycling also keeps our air clean by using less water and reducing carbon emissions.
End of Life Vehicle Scrap Metal
Another interesting topic related to scrap metal is vehicle recycling. If you aren’t going to be able to sell your end of life vehicle in running condition, perhaps you might be better off selling it for scrap metal and parts. There are a number of resources available to assist with this process. If your car is still in running condition and just needs a few repairs or maintenance, consider checking out RepairPal. RepairPal helps connect people with auto repair shops across the country and also provides valuable information on just about every car make and model.
Conclusion
There’s no denying the importance of recycling and the many benefits that come with it. Much of the scrap metal being recycled in the U.S. goes into the manufacturing of new items. There’s a constant need for more consumers and businesses to realize these benefits and bring their used scrap to an experienced firm. These firms will purchase, process, and re-integrate all recyclable base metals, which are then supplied to manufacturers in need of quality materials.
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