subject: Recycling Metals: Understanding The Basics [print this page] As the world becomes more conscious of environmental issues, more and more governing authorities are encouraging their residents to recycle. Some municipalities even require construction materials to be recycled. One of the most commonly recycled materials is metal. Compared with paper and plastic, metal yields the largest amount of usable recycled material.
The process behind recycling metal varies greatly from the initial refining and smelting that takes place to create it. However, if metals are properly sorted and treated, the end products can be identical.
What Can Be Recycled?:
Metal is one of the most easily recycled materials. When other products are re-processed, much of the overall mass is reduced and ultimately wasted. However, when metal is melted and reformed, it keeps much of its total original mass and integrity.
One of the most commonly recycled metals is aluminum, which can be found in soda cans, car parts, appliances and building materials. Steel is also easily recycled. Like aluminum, steel accounts for many automotive and building parts and can be found in appliances.
Both metals are fairly easy to find in junkyards or at the site of a building demolition.
How is Metal Reused and Recycled?:
First, a recycling center must obtain the scrap metal. A company might pay for scrap metal, or metal is reclaimed from junkyard cars.
Scrap metal must be sorted so that it can be combined with like materials and melted at the same temperature. In addition, metal must be thoroughly inspected for non-metal materials, such as paper and plastic labels or wood and rubber extensions. The sorted metal can then be shredded in a machine and further sorted using magnetic separators and sifting.
The shredded metal is then placed into a "blast furnace" that burns extremely hot, with temperatures varying according to which metal is being recycled. The metal is brought to a molten state, where impurities are burned away. The molten metal can then be poured into molds for new products.
Why Recycle Metal?:
There are many benefits to recycling metals. Because metal is easily melted down and reused, it is ideal for recycling. Metals such as aluminum can be reused repeatedly. Aluminum is common in items that are regularly thrown out, so households are able to sort it themselves. Recycling metals is one way to reduce waste and clear room in landfills. Recycling metals also can be an efficient way to reduce greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide, that are released during the smelting process. Other byproducts, such as those produced during the refining process, can be reduced, as well.
