scrap material -Collection and processing of scrap materials for resale and
recycling purposes. Promotes environmental sustainability
and resource optimization. Includes waste segregation,
recycling, and resale management.
What is scrap metal?
Put simply, scrap metal is the combination of waste metal, metallic material and any product that contains metal that is capable of being recycled from previous consumption or product manufacturing. Whether it’s vehicle parts, building supplies or surplus project materials, scrap has tremendous monetary value; so much so that the UK’s metal recycling industry is now worth upwards of £5.6 billion.
Scrap metal can originate from commercial and residential use. Whether it’s ferrous or non-ferrous metal, the processing of this into vital secondary raw material for the smelting of brand new metals is absolutely key.
These scrap metals have a high market value, with their ability to be re-used again and again. For instance, electricians might have wires and electrical equipment, plumbers are likely to have used copper piping and brass fixtures and even construction firms will have beam upon beam of steel that could be quite literally given a new lease of life. But all too regularly these are tossed into the dump due to lack of knowledge and sources for metal recycling.
The most valuable non-ferrous metals for recycling
Brass - Easily found on door handles, light fittings, keys and plumbing fixtures, brass is one of the most common yet in-demand non- ferrous metals. Often yellow in colour with a hint of red, brass is a combination of zinc and copper that can be extremely dense, increasing its value in pure weight alone.
Aluminium - Yet another metal that’s often found in so many places around a regular home, aluminium can be recycled and re-used in an alternative guise within a matter of a months. Empty drinks and food cans are the most common places to find this metal, but areas such as guttering, siding, internal and external door and window frames are also good places to look. Aluminium is such an attractive metal for recyclers as the process saves 80 per cent of the energy that was used to make it in the first place.
Copper - Another common metal regularly found in the structure of homes across the country, copper is also very valuable to recycle and very much in-demand at scrap yards. If the copper itself is in good condition it will be reddish in colour, but more worn copper fixtures and fittings will appear dark brown and sometimes green in places. It’s a versatile metal which means it is regularly used as plumbing pipes, as a roofing material for guttering, with common electric wires and even inside air conditioning units.
