Recyclable Metals
The purpose of this document is to highlight which metals are recyclable, the benefits of recycling metals, and the average cost per pound to recycle each metal. First, we'll list the metals that can be recycled, and then we'll review why it is beneficial. Lastly, we'll provide a table of average costs per pound so you can estimate potential earnings from recycling.
To start, here is a list of metals that can be recycled:
To start here is a list of metals that can be recycled:
- Aluminum
- Brass
- Bronze
- Iron
- Copper
- Steel
- Tin
Metal recycling benefits:
Price per pound
Energy Savings
Recycling metals can lead to energy savings since recycling requires less energy consumption. You may be asking how is it recycling metals save us energy consumption. This is a great question! The process of producing metals starts with mining iron ore. The following are a few of the components of the mining process:
- Blasting & Drilling: explosives are used to blast large rocks into smaller pieces
- Extraction: extract elements from pit mine
- Transportation: electric shovels & haul trucks are used to transport materials to processing plants
- Concentrator & Crushing: rock is crushed to marble-sized pellets and mixed with water
Conserving Natural Resources
If you want to conserve natural resources than recycling is critical. Recycling has a positive domino effect on our ecosystem. Plant and animal life can strive due to less infiltration and better opportunities of evolution. Leaving these habitats intact reduces restrictions and improves the chances of evolution. Toxic mercury released from coal burning power plants won't be as prevelant and reduces mercury from entering our food chain. This is a serious public health and environmental concern as methylmercury can enter the bloodstream and can cross the protective blood-brain barrier. Lets recycle and reuse materials to keep our ourselves as well as our planet happy and healthy!
Slow Landfill Growth
Recycling slows landfill growth which is predicted to rise to 2.2 billion tons by 2025. Metals in landfills can take time to discover due to the tons of waste they occupy. Metals can cause soil pollution especially if the landfill isn’t properly lined. While today's regulations and policys are stricter, it is important to reduce metals and prevent underground pollution. As stated above if certain objects are disposed of correctly, mercury pollution can create havoc.
Economic Benefits
If the previous benefits haven't sold you yet (and they should have!), the economic benefits are great! Recycling has created 1.1 million jobs with a payroll of about $37 billion and $236 billion in gross annual sales. Recycling metals is cheaper than mining as mentioned above in energy savings. Recycled metals are already melted down which reduces the time to production, saving cash and time in the process. That cash can be used within other departments, as a tax reductions, and lastly a lower cost passed on to the consumer (mentioned in energy savings).
Price per Pound For Recycled Metals
If you want to recycle the metals mentioned you can use the following table to see the price per pound:
| Aluminum | Brass | Bronze | Iron | Copper | Steel | Tin | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price Per lb: | $.50 | $1.60 | $1.25 | $.06-$.10 | $2.65 | $.42 | $8-$14 |
*These prices are averages and can vary by state.
It literally pays to recycle! Please be responsible and recycle - you are saving our planet and providing an economic boost. We hope this article provide insights into the benefits of why it is so important to recycle. Do your part and everyone including the planet will be thankful!