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There are nearly endless benefits to recycling metal, both economically and environmentally. That is mainly due to the versatility of scrap metals.
Unlike most materials, metal is special because you can use, reuse, and disperse it repeatedly without the material deteriorating. Additionally, recycling scrap metal is beneficial for both industry and home use and is even a material famous artists use.
The Importance of Recycling Scrap Metal Today
You may think recycling that empty soup can or those beat-up old car parts may not make a difference. However, you would be wrong to think that way because every bit of scrap metal recycled counts.
Toronto, for example, has over 6.2 million people, and one empty soup can weigh approximately 14 grams. Imagine if everyone there had the mindset of recycling at least one empty can all at once. You would be looking at least 84 million grams of metal recycled in Toronto alone.
In contrast, the average car weighs about 1361 kilograms. A single recycled can from each person in Toronto alone could accumulate enough metal to build about 62 average-sized vehicles.
You can make money by selling scrap metal to the proper recycling company or scrap yard. That is why many people keep updated on scrap metal prices in Toronto.
Though most people take it for granted, metal is an integral material that modern society needs to function. Many people overlook the fact that metal goes into nearly everything from buildings and vehicles to tools and medicine.
Even smartphones that carry almost every aspect of a person’s daily life requires metal to manufacture and function. It is safe to say that modern civilization would cease to exist without metal.
Since metal is so crucial to modern life, people mustn’t waste it. Luckily, apart from being so versatile, nearly all metals are recyclable. This article will tackle some of the benefits of recycling scrap metal.
Helps the Environment
Scrap metal recycling does not just have a positive effect on the economy but also on the environment. Every scrap metal reused means less of it ends up in landfills, creating more space for actual waste.
These include non-recyclable waste, like food and other garbage that deteriorates. Additionally, when more space is freed up in landfills, there is less environmental pollution.
The most significant benefit of scrap metal recycling is the reduction of greenhouse gas emission amounts. That is because the demand for new metal production lessens when people recycle already-produced metal materials.
When manufacturers produce new metal from ore, they release greenhouse gas emissions more significantly than recycling metal products. Greenhouse gas emissions not only cause dangerous air pollution levels in cities, but they also contribute to climate change.
According to NASA, the global average surface temperatures of the Earth reached their hottest points in 2016 and 2020. This issue results from continued long-term warming trends caused by human activities and pollution. The greenhouse gas emissions problem should not be taken lightly.
Recycling scrap metal contributes to a more significant cause of reducing common pollutants in the fight against global warming.
Conserves Energy
Aside from reducing significant greenhouse gas emissions, scrap metal recycling also means less energy consumption. That is because various metals require specific amounts of resources and energy to produce.
According to the National Institutes of Health, deriving steel from raw materials uses 60% more energy than recycling. They also added that aluminum production expends 95% more power than recycling products that contain aluminum. Theoretically, recycling a soda can conserve enough energy to light up a 60-watt light bulb for over four hours.
Through recycling scrap metal, people minimize reliance on new raw materials, and corporations save money by decreasing their energy consumption. Metal people look to recycle is already readily available and can be modified for new purposes.
The best part is these savings can pass down to consumers. Because products will no longer require new materials, products can go for lower prices.
Creates Earning Opportunities
As if you did not have enough incentive to recycle scrap metal, you can actually make money off it. In particular, scrap yards and metal recycling companies are always in the market for brass, copper, aluminum, iron, and steel. How much you can sell your scrap metal varies, however.
Every type of metal has its own corresponding value. The amount and weight of scrap metal you plan to sell also play a factor. Businesses that offer cash-outs for your scrap metal also vary in how much they are willing to pay.
Typically, non-ferrous metals are worth more to these businesses than ferrous metals like steel and iron. Some people can make a living out of collecting scrap metals and selling them off to businesses. However, it will take a lot of research and even more experience with the industry to make it sustainable.
To the Scrap Yards
Everything about scrap metal recycling makes sense both environmentally and economically. It could even make a dent in the energy crisis if given enough support and put into regular practice.
You can do your part by doing something as simple as recycling old metal products you no longer need. Who knows? The latest smartphone you buy might even have traces of that old piece of scrap metal you recycled. You might even get to buy it for significantly cheaper than its original value.
