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How to Simplify Recycling Your Scrap Metal


Metal mining can disturb ecosystems in several ways. Humans will often deforest areas to make room for mines. In addition, miners can leave behind destructive materials after operations cease.

There have been efforts to reduce these harmful mining effects. Many have been fairly successful. However, the most effective way to reduce these effects is to reduce the demand for metal.

You can help with this by recycling metal. Do you have any scrap metal lying around? If so, you should take it to our scrap metal yard in Hagersville.

Before you do, here are some steps you need to take. Read on!

Call Ahead

Scrap metal recycling facilities can differ in material price, scrap material minimums, and other rules. Visit the site of the scrap metal yard you plan to go to beforehand. Read over all their guidelines for people dropping off scrap materials.

Find the Right Items

Products must be at least half-metal to be accepted by a scrap metal recycling facility. Find scrap materials that meet these criteria and set them aside. You should also separate metal materials from paper or plastic as best as possible.

Where to Find Metal

Are you unsure where to look for metals to recycle? Try looking for these items:

  • Appliances

  • Pots and pans

  • Food and drink cans

  • Chairs

  • Pipes

  • Railings

  • Swing sets

  • Electronic devices

Avoid Unacceptable Items

While searching for metals to recycle, avoid collecting metal items that scrap metal yards won't accept. Metals that are toxic or radioactive aren't acceptable. You'll also have trouble dropping off items with residual materials like paint or oil.

Separate Ferrous from Non-Ferrous

You don't need to sort scrap materials into ferrous and non-ferrous types. However, doing this will significantly help the workers at the facility, get your scrap metal unloaded and weighed out much faster and put more money in your pocket.

It's also very easy to determine which scrap materials are ferrous and which are not.

What's Ferrous and Non-Ferrous?

Ferrous metals have iron in them. Non-ferrous metals don't contain any iron. The latter metals are rarer, more valuable, and don't degrade when recycled.

Why Separate These Materials?

Are you turning your scrap metal in for money? Workers usually weigh ferrous and non-ferrous items separately due to the price difference. They won't sort these items out for you so having them separated will ensure the highest payout.

How to Identify These Metal Types

Get a magnet and hold it up to different items. Magnets will stick to ferrous metals. They won't stick to non-ferrous metals.

Visit Our Scrap Metal Yard in Hagersville

As you can see, you need to take a few extra steps to recycle scrap metal right. Still, performing these steps will spare you from complicated situations at the scrapyard.

Are you ready to recycle your ferrous and non-ferrous scrap materials at our scrap metal yard in Hagersville? Find out all about the hours and locations of JLM Metal Recycling and Auto Parts on this page.


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