An Introduction to Metal Recycling
An overview of metal recycling, its importance and recycling processes
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Metals can be recycled over and over again without altering their properties.
According to American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI), steel is the most recycled
material on the planet. The other highly recycled metals include aluminum, copper,
silver, brass and gold.
A definition of metal recycling
Metal recycling refers to systematically collecting various metals at the end of their
useful life, and sorting them according to metal types and quality.
This step is followed by processing, purifying and finally making brand new products
using the recycled metals.
Why do we recycle metals?
Metals are valuable materials that can be recycled again and again without
degrading their properties. Scrap metal has value, which motivates people to collect
it to for sale to recycling operations.
In addition to a financial incentive, there is also an environmental imperative. The
recycling of metals enables us to preserve natural resources while requiring less
energy to process than the manufacture of new products using virgin raw materials.
Recycling emits less carbon dioxide and other harmful gasses.
More importantly, it saves money and allows manufacturing businesses to reduce
their production cost. Recycling creates jobs for the local workforce. In summary,
there are many important reasons we should recycle metals.
Quick metal recycling facts
Although almost every kind of metal can be recycled again and again without
degradation of properties, currently, only 30 percent of metal is recycled.
Unfortunately, the remaining 70 percent of metals are used just once and
thrown away.
Nearly 40 percent of worldwide steel production is made using recycled steel.
Around 42 percent of crude steel in the United States is made of recycled
materials.
In the United States alone, around 100 million steel and tin cans are used
every day.
Steel and iron are the most recycled materials in the world due in part to the
opportunity to recover large structures as well as the ease of reprocessing.
The use of magnets in the sorting process enables recyclers to easily
separate them from the mixed waste stream.
The UK metal recycling industry is a 5.6 billion industry that employs over
8000 people.
Every year, around 400 million tons of metal is recycled worldwide.
Currently, the single most recycled consumer product in the U.S. is the
aluminum can.
Throwing away a single aluminum can waste energy equivalent to the same
can filled with gasoline.
Here are more facts about metal recycling.
Types of metals recycled
Metals can be classified as ferrous, or non-ferrous. Ferrous metals are combinations
of iron with carbon. Some common ferrous metals include carbon steel, alloy steel,
wrought iron, and cast iron. On the other hand, non-ferrous metals include
aluminum, copper, lead, zinc, and tin. Precious metals are non-ferrous. The most
common precious metals include gold, platinum, silver, iridium, and palladium.
The metal recycling process
Following are the main stages in a metal recycling process:
Collection: The collection process of metals is a bit different than for other
materials. At the end of their useful life, metals have monetary value.
As such, people are more likely to preserve the metal scrap and sell them to scrap
yards than just throwing them as trash or putting them into any recycling bins. Still, a
big portion of scrap metal is collected placing collection bins.
Sorting: Sorting involves separating metals from the mixed scrap metal stream or
the mixed multi-material waste stream. In automated recycling operations, magnets
and sensors are used to aid in material separation. At the entrepreneurial level,
scrappers may employ a magnet, as well as use material color or weight to help
determine the metal type. For example, aluminum will be silver and light. Other
important colors to look for are copper, yellow (for brass) and red, for red brass.
Scrappers will improve the value of their material by segregating clean metal from
the dirty material.
Processing: To allow further processing, metals are shredded. Shredding is done to
promote the melting process as small shredded metals have a large surface to
volume ratio, and as a result, can be melted using comparatively less energy.
Normally, aluminum is converted into small sheets and steel is changed into steel
blocks.
Melting: Scrap metal is melted in a large furnace. Each metal is taken to a specific
furnace designed to melt only that particular metal. A considerable amount of energy
is used in this step. Still, as mentioned above, the energy required to melt and
recycle metals is much less than the energy that is needed to produce metals using
virgin raw materials. Based on the size of the furnace, the degree of heat of the
furnace and volume of metal, melting can take from just a few minutes to hours.
Purification: Purification is done to ensure the final product is of high quality and
free of impurities. One of the most common methods used for purification is
Electrolysis.
Solidifying: After purification, melted metals are carried by the conveyor belt to cool
and solidify the metals. In this stage, scrap metals are formed into specific shapes
such as bars that can be easily used for the production of various metal products.
Transportation of the Metal Bars: Once the metals are cooled and solidified, they
are ready to use. They are then transported to various factories where they are used
as raw material for the production of brand new products.
When the products made of these metal bars comes to the end of their useful life,
the metal recycling process cycles again.
Business opportunities in metal recycling
Traditionally, metal recycling is regarded as a profitable business. But throughout
2015, the prices of various scrap metals kept on falling; causing so many scrap
recyclers shut their businesses or cut the size of their employees. From the second
quarter of 2016 though, prices started to increase and the market looked to be
trending modestly upward. At an entrepreneurial level, a common entry point into
the
metal
recycling
business
is
through starting
scrap
metal
collection
business or becoming a scrap metal vendor.
Metal recycling trade associations
ISRI (Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries Inc): ISRI is the largest trade association
for businesses related to recycling. It represents over 1600 for-profit companies from
34 different countries worldwide.
BMRA (British Metals Recycling Association): BMRA represents over 300 scrap
metal recyclers of UK and is the leading trade association in the UK.
AMRIA: AMRIA refers to Australian Metal Recycling Industry Association.
CARI: CARI stands for Canadian Associations of Recycling Industries. It has 250
member companies.
Being a member of trade associations in the recycling industry enables a new
recycling business to know and understand the trends in the industry and maintain a
good relation with other businesses in the industry.
Challenges for the metal recycling industry
The current overall metal recycling rate (around 30 percent) is not acceptable given
the recyclability of almost every kind of metal. Less public awareness and negative
public behavior are two very important reasons collecting and recycling metals is a
big challenge. People still tend to throw various metal cans such as aluminum
beverage containers into the garbage bin.
Another important reason for the low recycling rate has to do with not taking
recycling into account when designing various metal products. Growing complexity of
various modern products, their complex functionality and material mix makes
recycling increasingly difficult. For instance, a simple mobile phone can contain as
many as 40 different elements. So, extracting every kind of materials from a mobile
phone and reusing them in the production of new products makes it difficult.
Metal recycling technologies
Modern recycling technologies can effectively identify many different kinds of metals;
although there is still the need for even more effective recycling technologies to
separate non-ferrous metals.
Separating ferrous metals from non-ferrous metals is one of the most important
steps in the sorting process. As ferrous metals contain iron, they are attracted by
magnets. So, steel and iron are easily pulled out of mixed waste stream using
magnets. Cranes fitted with an electromagnet can move large pieces of metal
scraps. This kind of crude is very often used at auto salvage yards.
When sorting metals from a mixed stream, paper is removed first leaving only
plastics and metals. Then, electric currents are induced across the stream where
only metals get affected. This process is called Eddy Current Separation. Although
aluminum is not magnetic, this technology can levitate it and allow plastics to drop
out of the process.
Recovering precious metals such as palladium, platinum gold and other valuable
metals such as copper, lead, and silver from electronic waste becomes economically
viable only enough scrap is collected as it takes more technologically advanced and
sophisticated recycling equipment. These days, in large recycling facilities, the use of
sensors to identify metals through infra-red scanning and x-ray has become popular.
Three common categories of metal sensing processes include biotechnology,
hydrometallurgy, and pyrometallurgy. The use of these technologies can effectively
improve metal recovery rates.
Metal recycling laws and legislation
If you are looking to set up a metal recycling-related business in the U.S., you should
know relevant recycling laws in your state. This interactive map allows you to find
metal recycling laws pertinent to every jurisdiction.
Final note: Metal recycling is a huge industry abounding with business
opportunities. If you are interested in pursuing a business in this sector, you need to
have a good understanding of business valuation, as well as the factors that affect
scrap metal prices and keep a close eye on current scrap metal prices. The good
thing about scrap metal prices is they are not highly volatile.
