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August 12, 2020Responsible Recycling of Metals, Wirral
Most of the appliances and machines we use in our homes and offices are made of either plastic, or metal, or a combination of the two. It is important to consider the best ways of disposing of appliances and electronic equipment we no longer use. Even old vehicles are made of metal that can be recycled.
Metals are valuable materials that can be recycled again and again without changing their properties. Scrap metal haulers are only too happy to collect scrap metal for recycling, as all scrap metal has a value. At Junk Removal Wirral we are committed to the recycling of all types of metal, as there is also an environmental incentive to keep it out of the landfill.
Steel, the most recycled material on earth, according to the American Iron and Steel Institute. Other highly recycled metals include copper, aluminium, brass, silver, and gold. Every type of metal has a value and it is important to recycle unwanted metal items as the metal recycling industry can extract the metal components repeatedly as the properties of metal never change.
Some Interesting Facts About Waste Metal Recycling
- Nearly 40 percent of steel produced worldwide is made using recycled steel
- Steel and iron are the most recycled materials in the world, due in part to the fact that large steel structures such as bridges, for example, can be recovered and reprocessed. Their magnetic properties enable them to be easily separated from other waste.
- The average UK household uses over 600 aluminuim cans a year, which works out at 16.2 billion cans. Luckily, aluminium is the single most recycled consumer product. 75% of the world’s alumimium that has ever been produced is still in use, which points to the success of its recycling.
- Modern recycling technologies can successfully identify different types of metals, but the complexity of various products like mobile phones which can contain as many as 40 different elements makes recycling of these alloys difficult.
Metal Recycling Challenges
- The current, overall rate of recycling metal is only 30% even though metal is easy to isolate. Public and community awareness is needed for this to expand.
- Modern appliances are complex, and contain alloys and mixtures of various metals which are not easily separated.
- Because of this complexity, there is a danger that recycling and reuse will not always be possible, and therefore, their disposal needs to be responsible as some of these components are harmful to the environment.
Which Appliances contain Metal?
Most of the appliances we use at home or in our offices are made of metal.
- Kitchen appliances such as dishwashers, washing machines, dryers, refrigerators, freezers, stoves, ovens, and microwaves.
- Laptops, TV sets, and mobile phones.
- Air conditioners and fans.
- Generators, heaters, humidifiers, and dehumidifiers.
Office equipment such as photocopiers, printers, scanners, laptops, and other IT equipment are also made of metal.
Before calling an appliance removal service or undertaking an air conditioner disposal find out how those scrap guys will dispose of the old appliances and e-waste.
Recycling of Scrap metal
There are two main categories of scrap metal, ferrous metal, and nonferrous metal. The difference is that ferrous metal contains iron, while nonferrous metal doesn’t. Nonferrous metals include aluminium, copper, lead, nickel, tin, zinc, silver, and others.
The scrap metal recycling process involves several steps and starts with collection. At Junk Removal Wirral we will most often be called to remove a pile of metal, or metal mixed with other trash. This metal could come in any form, from home appliances to metal waste from a construction site. This will be delivered to recycling centres for further sorting and processing.
- Sorting
Different types of scrap metals have different values and must be separated from each other to be weighed and baled for shipment. The quality of the metal to be recycled is important, as a high-quality recycled product can only be created if the original materials used in the recycling process are of a good quality.
- Processing
Once the metal is sorted, it is compacted. This ensures that the recycled metal is squashed and doesn’t take up more space on the conveyor belt than necessary.
- Shredding
The next step is to break the metal down into tiny pieces or sheets for them to be processed further. Small pieces can be melted using less energy than would be needed for large pieces. Steel is normally changed into blocks while aluminium is converted into sheets.
- Melting
Melting of the scrap metal is done in a furnace. Each metal melts at a different temperature so the furnace is heated to a specific temperature to melt that specific metal. Although considerable energy is required for melting, it is still less than what would be required to use raw materials to make metals. Melting can take minutes or hours depending on volumes of metal placed in the furnace and the heat the metal needs.
- Purification
The metals must be purified to ensure that they are of a high quality. The method used depends on the type of metal. Ferrous metals are passed through a powerful magnetic system to separate the metals from other recyclables, and non-ferrous are purified by using electrolysis.
- Solidifying
This molten metal is then cooled and solidified into different shapes and sizes that enables it to be reused in all industries.
Metals are essential for industrial purposes and are used in manufacturing cars, ships, airplanes – in fact, everything, and anything. Metal can be recycled very successfully, which means that the more we recycle it, the less it has to be manufactured from raw materials, and the better for our planet.
We at Junk Removal Wirral are committed to recycling your junk metal, doing whatever we can to keep it out of landfills.
Why Choose Us?
Junk Removal Wirral is your local metal junk removal company in Wirral, Chester, Liverpool, and Ellesmere Road. We dispose of all metal junks in a responsible manner, caring for our local environment as much as you do. Please contact us for a free, no obligation quote. We are looking forward to hearing from you.
Wirral & Liverpool: 01518 080407
Chester: 01244 953100