Recycling Scrap Metals For Profit
There are many types of metal that can be recycled and many reasons people get involved in recycling. The idea that metal can be reused to save money and resources is not new and recycling has been around for many years. But it has become more mainstream in the last few years and now offers some people a way to make a living or supplement their income.
What Metals Can You Recycle?
Many materials can be recycled but common ones are aluminum, brass, copper, steel, lead, and even gold or silver. For many years, aluminum cans where the one most people knew about but scrap yards buy almost any metal. They will grade the quality of the material and the price will be adjusted to match the grade and the need for the material at the time.
Aluminum
Beside cans, other aluminum products can be recycled. Old storm windows, screen door frame, aluminum sheeting (though most of it is painted and is bought as dirty material at a much lower price), aluminum tubing or conduit, or just about any other form of it you can think of. The biggest concern with aluminum is making sure that it is not mixed with other materials.
Lead Recycling
How do you recycle lead? Since lead is not as common now as it used to be, the most common way lead is recycled is in the form of old, dead batteries from cars and trucks. The plastic is removed from around the lead core and the material inside processed for reuse. As you can imagine, removing the lead from inside the batter is dangerous and time-consuming. In most cases, recyclers will pay $5 to $10 each for batteries because of the work involved to recover the lead.
Copper Recycling
In recent years, copper prices have climbed and recyclers have started taking more and more of this material. Some sellers have come up with very creative ways to get copper, including removing wiring and pipes from homes and buildings then selling it. If the building is being torn down, you may be able to bid to remove the materials before the demolition begins.
Legal Rights and Storage
There are people who have made an entire business from this practice and have been very successful. Just be sure to get the legal right to work on and remove materials from the building before you take anything out. You may also want to have a storage unit or garage available for storing the materials until you have enough to make the trip to the recycler profitable.
For more information, contact companies like United Scrap Iron & Metal Co.
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