Scrap metal is a term that refers to discarded metal, metallic material, and any metal-containing product that may be recycled from previous consumption or product manufacture. Scrap has a high monetary value, whether it be vehicle components, building supplies, or project materials that have been left over.
Metal scrap is recycled and turned into new products to reduce overall costs. Wrought iron processing is expensive because numerous more materials are added during the method to preserve the product’s quality, resulting in a rise in the finished item’s cost. However, when we employ recycled metals, our overall extra compound expense is reduced, which has an impact on the price of the product or substance being created. As a result, recycling metal waste is both cost-effective and environmentally beneficial. Metal scraps are gathered for this purpose from a variety of sources and in any shape or form. We may collect scrap from any damaged or worn-out goods, such as broken windows, bikes, machines, motors, and so on. They are selected, crushed, or maybe both.
The first step in recycling is melting and then molding. There are two types of metals one is ferrous metals they contain iron and has many properties related to iron like magnetic attraction etc and the other type is nonferrous metals they are more costly and due to their more economic value currency coins are made from a nonferrous form of metals. Metals we commonly recycle are
- Any type of Steel
- Bronze
- Iron (Fe)
- Copper (Cu)
- Tin
- Brass
- Lead (Pb)
- Stainless steel
- Complexes of one or more metals
- Zinc (Zn)
The primary distinction between ferrous and nonferrous metals is their physical properties, which differ in terms of solidity and strength. Ferrous metals contain more iron, which is why they have attractive properties, but when monetary values are compared, non-ferrous metals are more expensive and have a higher financial worth than the former. Our bodies require a set number of fundamental metals for growth and advancement, for example, iron, zinc, and so on. If any individual is deficient in these metals, they are used for restorative reasons in clinical and medication areas as well. All nonferrous metals are maybe the most expensive metals, such as gold and silver, which are more expensive and can also be changed into adornments.
Benefits of metal recycling[i]
Metal recycling has many benefits but the most prominent one is its environmental and contamination relief gives it has many other economical and other benefits as well. Biological systems living in the ecosystem have affected it both beneficially and adversely. It has drained the earth of its natural resources and contaminated it with so many chemicals and gases. Now it is crucial to life that if we want to continue living on this earth we should maintain a balance between resources utilization and lesser spreading of contamination. It is important to preserve earthly resources for the long-term sustainability of life on it. metal scraps can also be collected or in other words, obtained from domestic sources like motor machinery, even an old spoon is counted as metal scrap. Metals are present from a simple form as a spoon in the home to a gigantic technology as vehicles. It has reduced environmental pollution by 89% leading to the belief that the recycling of metals has environmental impacts.
Research conducted by environmental agencies working in United States explained how the recycling of metals is beneficial to us, it stated that
- The raw material used in production of a substance using wrought iron is more as compared to the material used when the metal scraps are remolded to make new ones.
- The total amount of energy used in making of product n which metal scraps are used is always way less than as compared to the case in which wrought iron is used.
- Total decrease of 93 percent of air pollution is seen by recycling of metal scraps.
- Almost 92 kgs of limestone is also saved if already processed metals are used in any process of metal molding.
- A large amount of energy is conserved approximated as tons.
Metal Recycled Energy saved
Aluminium (Al) 95%
Bronze 80%
Iron (Fe) 87%
Zinc (Zn) 53%
Stainless steel 78%
Copper ( Cu) 72%
Where to take scrap metal & Prices[ii]
The value of scrap metal is unknown. Clients and sellers can choose from a variety of piece yard prices. There are no hard and fast rules or criteria that determine the evaluation of financial worth. The great majority of people on the earth have no idea how much-rescued stuff is worth in terms of money. Salvaged material can be reused, and it is frequently compromised at any nearby scrapyard in exchange for a little sum of money. The amount of money you get in exchange for metal is highly dependent on the weight and size of scratch you have and want to trade for. The salvaged material industry is managed by a number of private and public bodies. This company has a huge market value, and people make a lot of money doing it. These piece yards collect metals from clients who come from a variety of sources, including homegrown metal pieces and modern metal pieces, both of which have been recently handled and spared from going to waste, and are then flattened and remolded into another object. Scratches can be collected from domestic areas such as damaged household appliances, motors, wire machinery, or any other metal object. The market price of metal scratches fluctuates on a regular basis, and it varies depending on the type of scrap. They are sold and weight by different parameters some of the rates by weight are given as,
Metal recycled Price in Dollars /Pound
Carbide 2.1 / Ib
Steel 1.9 / Ib
Brass 1.7 / Ib
Laptops 1.89 / Ib
Metal sheets 2.12/ Ib
Dryers 2.09 / Ib
Stainless steel 2.8 / Ib
Transformers 3.09 / Ib
Dish washers 1.98 / Ib
Copper tubing 2.07/ lb
Cast Iron 1.87 / Ib
THHN Wire 2.2 / Ib
Light Iron 1.89 / Ib
Hard drives 2.4 / Ib
[i] www.ierek.com/news/index.php/2017/09/17/5-benefits-metal-recycling-will-inspire/
[ii] www.thebalancesmb.com/places-to-find-scrap-metal-2877935
