One of the most sustainable methods of conserving environmental resources is by metal recycling. Unlike other scrap materials like paper and glass, metal can be repeatedly recycled without losing its original strength or quality. Recycling metals also have a more cost-efficient production compared to manufacturing new metal products.

Metal recycling begins after the scrap materials are collected from households and businesses. Afterwards, these products are delivered to centers which sort them according to their composition and type. One type is ferrous scrap which is composed of iron and steel. Examples of these cars, household appliances and construction steel beams. There’s also the non-ferrous type which include aluminium products like foils and cans. These metals will be inspected and checked so those with similar alloy composition will be bundled together.

The sorted scraps are then sent to metal recycling centers. These scrap metals will now go through smelters, devices which can melt these materials at a very high temperature. Different metals have different melting points so these have to go through separate smelters. After they’ve been melted, these are slowly cooled and molded into small bars called ingots before they’re sold for reuse for other products. Some products using recycled metals include auto parts, appliances, doors and windows. The prices for these recycled metals depend on the quantity, purity and demand for the material.

Recycling metals offer a lot of benefits. This process use 95% less energy and using less energy means using fewer resources which help conserve the environment. Metal recycling also minimize water and land pollution and decrease damages caused by mining raw ore. Because of the high demand and unlimited supply of scrap metals, entrepreneurs have discovered it to be a thriving business opportunity. These metal recycling facilities not only generate a lot of jobs and a decent earning, they also play a significant contribution in preserving the environment.

Copper recycling has been around for hundreds of years, even starting from the Middle Ages. During those times, bronze cannons were melted and reused for other items. Even old church bells were recycled to be used as cannon. Copper is the third most recycled metal next to aluminum and iron. The most common use for copper is for electrical applications like wires and power cords because of its high conductivity and freedom from breaks even after production.

Before buying or selling scrap copper, be aware of the current rates so the sale will be worth it. A stripped coated wire has a higher value. Just be careful when using razor when pulling out the wires from their coating. Scrap copper also has different prices, depending on their quality. A new shiny clean copper has the higher price. Copper wires that have a decent thickness, no smudges of paint or solder are the next higher value. The one with the lowest value is the coated wires, meaning coaxial cables, phone cables that are just too difficult to strip. Sorting scrap copper before recycling is important, otherwise, the recycling center will rate it at the lowest value. 

There are several considerations in the copper recycling process. When the scrap copper is made up of only one alloy, it’s easier to melt and turn into a good quality product. If it’s contaminated or mixed with other materials, like solder, adjusting its composition in the final product will be more difficult, especially when copper buying wholesalers have certain quality specifications. If it’s just added tin or lead, the composition can still be adjusted to a particular level of quality. If the scrap copper has been contaminated to a much larger degree, the only way to turn it into an acceptable quality is to refine it back to pure copper with the use of metal refining techniques.  In copper recycling, higher quality copper goes through a furnace where it’s melted and turned into ingots and billets, while lower quality copper is first refined through electroplating in a sulphuric acid bath.