Scrap metal recycling is good for the environment and can help you earn extra money at the same time. Instead of depending on a steady stream of newly mined metal, manufacturing facilities can reuse items no longer needed from households or businesses.
The Various Metals That Can Be Recycled in Austin, TX
If It's Rusted Can I Recycle?
When you look around your home or business, you may not realize all of the eligible items for recycling. Working with an experienced scrap metal recycling company can help you remove unwanted items that you thought were destined for the landfill and give them another turn at becoming products.
What Metals Can Be Recycled?
Many different types of metals are eligible for scrap metal recycling. Most scrap companies accept both ferrous and non-ferrous materials. Ferrous metals will stick to a magnet and are some of the most common metals used for recycling. If you are unsure if your scrap is eligible for recycling, you can reach out to your local scrap recycling company.
Iron. Iron is a ferrous metal that is readily found and incredibly easy to recycle.
Steel. A ferrous, heavily weighted metal, steel is one of the most commonly found metals but is also worth less than other types.
Copper. This metal is one of the most valuable and highly-sought metals to recycle.
Aluminum. From aluminum cans to bicycles, aluminum is a non-ferrous metal found in many household items.
Stainless Steel. A combination of steel and nickel, stainless steel is often found in household appliances and car parts.
Brass. Brass is commonly found on old doorknobs and keys and combines copper with zinc.
Bronze. Looking for bronze can be tricky because it resembles brass, but bronze combines multiple other metals and is non-corrosive.
Lead. The easiest place to find lead is in old pipes and car parts.
Can Damaged or Rusted Metals Be Recycled?
When collecting scrap metal for recycling, customers frequently ask if the materials’ condition affects the ability to recycle them. In most cases, metals that are damaged or have rust can still be recycled as usual. One factor to keep in mind is that the total value of your scrap is determined by weight. If the metal is rusted, it will likely weigh less than non-rusted scrap of the same size. Although you can reduce the amount of corrosion by applying a non-corrosion coating material, your rusted scrap can still be melted down by a recycling center and reused again.
What Happens to Metals During the Recycling Process?
Once you drop off your materials at a recycling center, your items will be weighed, and you will be given a quote for payment. If you accept, your materials are sorted at the facility and then sent to processing plants to be melted down and reformed into ingots and bars to distribute to manufacturing plants. The manufacturing plants then produce products using these raw materials, which means your recycled scrap metal helped reduce the amount of mining needed to produce these products while allowing you to earn some money at the same time.
Recycle Your Scrap Metal Today
If you have scrap metal, even damaged or rusted items, you can participate in metal recycling. Choosing to recycle metals keeps them out of the landfill and allows the raw materials to be used repeatedly. If you have questions about the process in the Austin, TX area, contact Austin Metal and Iron for more information.
We have two locations in Austin, TX to serve you:
- East 4th: 512-477-4640
- Decker Lane: 512-272-8111
Image Credit: Shutterstock/ZENKON