How Scrap Metal Recycling Matters For The Future

• 11 May 2023
• by Melbourne Metal Recycling
• 0 Comments

Many industries have been using metal materials for years now. The construction industry has been using metal as the primary element in creating a support structure for buildings, scaffoldings, roofs, balustrades, and others. Even manufacturing industries are using metal in assembling appliances, devices, and equipment.

There are numerous reasons as to why industries use metal as part of their manufacturing process. Some metal elements are so durable that they won’t get damaged easily. Other industries also use metal elements because of their resistance to heat. However, one of the greatest features of metals that make them popular among different businesses is their recyclability.

Metal Groups and Qualities

Metals are classified into two groups – ferrous metals and non-ferrous metals. Ferrous metals are metals that contain a significant amount of iron. Ferrous metals are popular for their tensile strength and durability. Some examples of ferrous metals include mild steel, carbon steel, stainless steel, cast iron, and wrought iron. Most ferrous metals are used in construction, industrial containers, automobiles, and other similar industries.

Another great metal group that can be used in recycling is non-ferrous metals. Non-ferrous metals don’t have any strong presence of iron on their whole composition, which makes them rust- and corrosion-resistant. This type of metal is durable, malleable, and lighter than ferrous metals. Some examples of non-ferrous metals include aluminium, brass, copper, nickel, tin, lead, zinc, gold, and silver. Products that are made from this type of metal include gutters, water pipes, roofing, road signs, electronics, wiring, and many more.

The Need to Recycle Scrap Metals

When it comes to recycling, products out of ferrous metals are the most collected and recycled as the construction industry consistently grows around the world. In the past decade alone, more than 500 million tons of metal products are recycled and produced out of scrap ferrous metals. These recycled products are even preferred by the industry since their quality and strength matches the characteristics of newly fabricated metal products.

Alternatively, small electronics, devices, electrical wirings, and other home products rely mostly on non-ferrous metals since they can work together with electrical components. And since this type of industry is exponentially growing in global sales, a lot of non-ferrous metals will be needed to meet the demand.

The only problem with products out of non-ferrous metals is that some of these metals are limited in number, which makes recyclability a great opportunity to conserve them. The need to include non-ferrous components and materials out of a home appliance or public infrastructure calls for a renewed focus in recycling scrap metals.

The future of scrap metal recycling is now becoming clearer since different businesses are now shifting towards sustainable practices and processes. They know too well that ignoring recycling practices will significantly hurt their respective business’s revenue in the long run. Besides, businesses can save a lot of money since the recycling process of scrap metals consumes less energy than creating products out of new metal. As for consumers, recycled metal products will still possess the same key properties that make them durable and long-lasting.

If you want to know how recycling scrap metal is done, you can contact us at Melbourne Metal Recycling so that we can show you all the processes involved. We can even buy your old metal products at a very reasonable price.