The term scrap metal may bring to mind piles of metal in a salvage yard and while that image might be accurate, the piles of metal have a purpose. Often materials considered scrap are taken to large salvage yards for processing. Where they go from there is determined by the market needs and what the material is or can be used for.

What Can Be Recycled?

When it comes to scrap metals, there are very few things that can't be recycled in one way or another. Steel, sheet metal, aluminum, and most metals can be sold for scrap where they are sorted and sold to companies that will use them in their production. In some cases, the metal is cut into tiny chips so it can be easily melted down in a later process. Other times it is sold in bales or large pieces so the buyer can decide how they are going to use it.

Reusing That Old Material

Sometimes reusing a material or repurposing an item is the better option. There are people that spend all their time looking for just these kinds of materials or items to save them and give them a new use or purpose. Sometimes that old metal sign that came off a building is just what someone wants to hang in their shop or business. Reuse can be anything from using a sign as a sign or making car parts into modern art. The idea is that reusing that metal keeps it out of the landfill.

Selling Scrap Metal

If you have some old steel or aluminum that you want to sell, you can look for a recycler in your area and give them a call to see what they buy. Most metal recyclers will buy just about anything you have, it is the price that will be the question. Metals are graded and the price is better for what is considered clean metal that it is for dirty or mixed metals. So if you have some aluminum that is pure and has not other metals attached to it, the price would be higher than aluminum that is mixed with steel rivets or screws. Grading can be different from place to place so check with the recycler to see what they require.

Having Scrap Removed

If you have a large amount of scrap that you need to get rid of but you don't want to have to haul it all to the recycler, there are services that pick it up and haul it for you. Most of the time, these services will haul the material for you but they typically do not pay you for the material. Their service is to remove it for you at no cost and then they will sell it to make their money. While you don't make any money on the scrap, it does get recycled and it is out of your way, which is the goal.

Contact a company, like Freedom Metals LLC, for more help.

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