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SCRAP RECYCLING

Scrap metal recycling is a process as well as being the basis for a powerful industry. Scrap metal recycling involves the recovery and processing of scrap metal from end-of-life products or structures, as well as from manufacturing scrap, so that it can be introduced as a raw material in the production of new goods. It can be recycled repeatedly with no degradation of its properties. It provides the raw material for new products, while offering a much lower carbon footprint and more efficient utilization of resources than new material.

Aside from environmental benefits, metal recycling is an extremely powerful economic activity.

When talking about scrap metal recycling, it is important to differentiate between the two main categories of scrap metal: ferrous metal, and nonferrous metal. While ferrous metal contains some degree of iron non-ferrous metal does not contain iron as a component. Nonferrous scrap includes aluminum, copper, lead, nickel, tin, zinc and others.

THE SCRAP RECYCLING PROCESS

Metals are valuable materials that can be recycled again and again without degrading their properties. Scrap metal has value, which motivates people to collect it for sale to recycling operations.

The collection process for metals differs than that for other materials because of higher scrap value. As such, it is more likely to be sold to scrap yards than sent to the landfill.

Other sources include large steel structures, railroad tracks, ships, farm equipment, and of course, consumer scrap. Prompt scrap, which is created in the course of new product manufacturing, accounts for one-half of ferrous scrap supply.

Sorting involves separating metals from the mixed scrap metal stream or the mixed multi-material waste stream. In recycling operations, magnets and sensors are used to aid in material separation.

At the entrepreneurial level, scrappers may employ a magnet, as well as to observe the material color or weight to help determine the metal type. For example, aluminum will be silver and light. Other important colors to look for are copper, yellow (for brass) and red, for red brass.

to allow further processing, metals are shredded. Shredding is done to promote the melting process as small shredded metals have a large surface to volume ratio.

As a result, they can be melted using comparatively less energy. Normally, aluminum is converted into small sheets, and steel is changed into steel blocks.

Scrap metal is melted in a large furnace. Each metal is taken to a specific furnace designed to melt that particular metal. A considerable amount of energy is used in this step.

Still, as mentioned above, the energy required to melt and recycle metals is much less than the energy that is needed to produce metals using virgin raw materials. Based on the size of the furnace, the degree of heat of the furnace and volume of metal, melting can take from just a few minutes to hours.

Purification is done to ensure the final product is of high quality and free of contaminants. One of the most common methods used for purification is Electrolysis.

After purification, melted metals are carried by the conveyor belt to cool and solidify the metals. In this stage, scrap metals are formed into specific shapes such as bars that can be easily used for the production of various metal products.

Scrap Metal Recovery Volumes and Recycling Rates

The largest source was provided by the automobiles industries which were recycled. While the volume of ferrous metals recovered is much greater, nonferrous metals generate more industry revenue due to their greater value, and as such are aggressively recycled. Recovered nonferrous scrap, including aluminum, copper, lead, nickel, tin, zinc and others, was valued at million, generating a volume of million metric tons.

 

The recycling rate is a very important measure in terms of landfill diversion. Scrap metal has been recycled for thousands of years because it has been long recognized as being a more efficient process than mining and processing new ore. Recycling rates for metal are generally high, due to its value. For example, ferrous metals have a recovery rate as follows:

  • for cars: 106 percent
  • for appliances: 90 percent
  • for steel cans: 66.8 percent
  • for structural steel: 98 percent
  • for reinforcement steel: 70 percent

Maintaining the recycling rate for predominantly consumer goods can be more challenging, such as in the case of aluminum beverage containers.  In jurisdictions that have beverage container deposit laws, the recovery rate is much higher.