Are you aiming to reduce your carbon footprint? You’re probably already familiar with recycling plastic bottles, paper, and cardboard. But what about that old cookware, bicycle parts, gardening tools, and wire laying around your premises? Due to a lack of knowledge, these common household scrap metals are often in the trash bins.
In case you’re wondering what you can do with those unused metal products and devices in your house, we will provide a practical solution for you.
Recycle Household Scrap Metal
Look around every area of your home. How many items do you see are made of metal? You most likely use many metal products every day without even realizing it. There’s nothing wrong with that. But you should be concerned about the volume of scrap metals that went into the garbage. It is even more vital if you’re trying to live a sustainable lifestyle.
There’s only a finite amount of metal on the planet. The good news is almost every kind of metal is recyclable. That’s why it’s essential to keep metals out of landfills so they can be used repeatedly.
You have many options for recycling household scrap metal. Here are several tips to help you get started:
Find a Local Scrap Yard
You can track down a local scrap yard and bring the scrap metal you’ve accumulated over the years. Instead of throwing it away, you can trade them for cash payments. Note that every local scrap yard is different. Some may only accept from companies that generate scrap materials. Others may have the required amount of metal for recycling.
The price of scrap metal may vary depending on the yard you choose and the type of metal you’ve collected. If you want to get the best quote, consider contacting multiple local scrap buyers.
Most of them may pay better prices if you bring larger quantities. Thus, it might be a great idea to wait until you have amassed enough metal items. But you also don’t want to wait so long that it would be impossible to carry them at once.
Arrange a Scrap Metal Pickup
Large volumes of scrap metal are hard to transport by yourself. They are often dirty and rusty, so carrying them in your vehicle might not be ideal. If it’s not possible for you to make a transaction on-site or take your scrap metals to the facility, you can arrange a scrap metal pick up. You can contact local junk removal and hauling companies to do the work for you.
They are experts on how to transport scrap metals safely and efficiently. But before making your calls, ensure you already have a general idea of how much metal you have on hand. Doing so is crucial to get a quote for how much your metal items are worth. Remember that you can also have the option to donate them.
Types of Scrap Metal That Are Recyclable
Before searching for a local scrap metal yard, you should know what kind of metal you have. When a magnet sticks to your metal, you can tell that you have a ferrous metal. This type of metal includes steel and iron.
Meanwhile, if the magnet does not stick to your metal items, what you have must be non-ferrous. It comprises the most common metals, such as aluminum, copper, and bronze. Note that non-ferrous metals are in higher demand to recycle and are worth more money at the scrap yard.
Here are some common scrap metal items you might find in your house:
- Stainless steel sink
- Brass faucets
- Aluminum containers
- Copper plumbing pipes
- Auto batteries
- TV cable
- Home appliances
- Brass fixtures/lamps
- Cast iron furniture
Final Thoughts
It can take 50 to 500 years for metals to decompose. Before putting your old appliances in the garbage, consider recycling them. You can help conserve energy and save the earth’s natural resources in this manner. Plus, you can make extra money along the way.
