In today’s eco-conscious world, it’s important to sort scrap metal so that each individual type of metal can be valued and recycled correctly, as well as protect the environment from contamination.
There are four reasons why it’s important to sort scrap metal: environmental impact, worker safety, regulatory compliance and profitability. Keep reading for details on why each reason is important to consider when sorting scrap material before sending it off for recycling.
1) Environmental Impact
The environmental impact of not sorting scrap can be detrimental both in terms of air and water pollution. Not sorting scrap metal can lead to toxic environments, where the scrap that should be recycled is instead thrown into an incinerator and burned, releasing dangerous gases into the atmosphere. It can also lead to water pollution as scrap materials like aluminium and copper are often discarded in landfills, which can leak chemicals into waterways.
2) Worker Safety
Sorting scrap metal can promote worker safety by reducing exposure to sharp hidden objects like tiny shards of glass during shredding or digging. This keeps unwanted items out of active recycling areas and reduces the risk of injury. It also minimises the chances of scrap yard workers getting sick from contaminated scrap metal.
For example, scrap yards that recycle old electric motors should never accept loose pieces of magnet wire. Since magnet wire is made using a mixture of multiple types of metals, it can contain varying levels of contaminants like cadmium and mercury which can cause serious illnesses if they’re not properly handled while separating scrap metal.
3) Regulatory Compliance
There are many regulatory compliance issues that need to be considered when recycling scrap, and sorting scrap metal plays a significant role in mitigating those risks. Many businesses, as well as households, rely on third party services because it’s neither practical nor cost effective to do the recycling themselves – this process saves time and money, among other things. Not only can scrap metal sorting reduce your liability, but it can also ensure you don’t send off valuable, good quality scrap to the wrong place.
4) Profitability
There are few businesses that see as big of a return on investment (ROI) for scrap metal recycling as scrap metal recyclers. Some metals will have a higher grade and value than others. You should always be aware of current market prices and focus on maximising the amount of valuable metals like copper you have to scrap to get the best bargain.
Get in touch
Sorting scrap before recycling the material creates a cleaner, more efficient industry. For these reasons, it’s important to sort scrap metal and by professionals who know what they’re doing. If this isn’t something your company currently does, but you want to learn more about scrap metal scrap recycling, we can help.
Clear My Scrap provides scrap recycling solutions that work for your company, no matter the size. For more information on scrap metal sorting and scrap recycling, give us a call on 01613007980 or send an enquiry via the form on our website.
