Everyone has some scrap material – be it aluminum cans or bigger items like auto parts, forklifts, or industrial equipment. In most cases, the scrap metals you own are just relegated to the scrap heap, gathering dust as we speak. But what if you can recycle them? There are a lot of great benefits you can gain from recycling – we all know this – but recycling scrap materials can bring you so much more! Not only will you be able to do a good turn for the environment – you can potentially have substantial earnings, too. So do you have scrap metals? Here’s why recycling is the best thing you can do.
The basics
Did you know that every year, millions of tons of scrap (150 million, to be exact) are recycled in the US? The real benefits you can get from recycling – especially when it comes to a material like metal – are immense. Recycling is good for our environment, of course – but it’s good for the economy, too. This is because scrap metal can easily be reused and dispensed repeatedly. Many industries take advantage of reusing scrap metal – and it has a range of applications; you can even see it as furniture!
The real benefits of recycling scrap materials
It’s always good for the environment
We all know this already – but let’s expound on it further. Whenever you recycle your scrap metal and other materials, there is less scrap metal filling landfills and more room for actual waste – such as food waste and materials that are non-recyclable. So if you have more space in landfills, you have less environmental pollution – it’s as simple as that.
For example, when scrap metal is recycled, we can also reduce greenhouse gases. New metals can release more greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, whereas recycled metals do not. And there’s no doubt that greenhouse gases are harmful – they affect the climate, causing climate change. 2020 was officially the warmest year to date = but the experts say that 2022 is warmer – and it’s all due to greenhouse gas emissions.
It’s a good way to conserve energy
Here’s another fun fact for you: did you know that when a soda can is recycled, the energy it conserves can power a light bulb for over four hours? As a recycling expert like Langley Recycling KC knows very well, when you recycle metal, you are conserving energy that will otherwise be spent in metal production and manufacturing. Various materials require different energy amounts for production, but when you recycle a material such as steel, it uses 60 percent less energy compared to those that come from raw materials.
It can help you earn money
Perhaps the greatest benefit – at least from a personal point of view – is that it has the potential to help you earn money. This is a great incentive for many people to recycle, and many scrap yards offer money in exchange for aluminum, copper, brass, steel, and iron. Of course, the amount you earn can vary, as different kinds of metal will have different values. For example, non-ferrous metals can make you more money than ferrous metals, such as steel and iron. The good news is that a scrap yard will often offer different payment and cashouts modes (you can even earn in Bitcoin if you want!).
