Scrap metal pick up and recycling near you

Scrap Metal Recycling

1. Most scrap metal can be recycled. Collect and separate the metals from other non recyclable junk. 
2. Sort the metal from the lot that can be recycled at home and the ones that cannot be recycled. For example, old food cans can be used in the garden for watering plants.
3. The other metals that cannot be recycled at home can be packed and dropped off at a recycling facility.
4. Be careful when packing broken metal appliances, metal waste with sharp edges, and other containers that have hazardous chemicals. 
5. If it’s too much to carry yourself, contact a junk removal service like 1-800-GOT-JUNK? to pick up the scrap metal, clean your space, and drop it off at a recycling facility.
6. At the recycling facility, the scrap gets processed, repurposed, and reused in a variety of industries. For example, scrap metal and aluminum metals are used in construction of bridges and roads or in the transportation industry for building vehicles.

No. Scrap metals should not be put into the recycle bin as they can damage the sorting equipment at the local trash collection units. Scrap metals such as stainless steel pots, pans, broken appliances, iron waste, metal from construction scrap, heavy metal equipment, sharp metals, cans containing chemicals like paint, propane, mercury, motor oil, etc. should be carefully sorted and dropped off at a metal recycler’s facility.

However, all packaging metal such as food and drinks cans, sweet tins, cake tins, foil trays, aluminum wrapping foil, pet food tins, bottles, etc. can be recycled and can all go into the blue recycling bin. Check your local recycling guidelines to learn more about what can and can’t be recycled in your area.

The best way to get rid of household metal junk depends on the type of metal your scrap is. Small items like food and drink cans are typically made from aluminum and steel. These metals can be placed in your home recycling bin or be taken to a local recycling depot. You can get some money back from deposits on drink cans! Larger items made from other materials can be taken to a local scrap yard to be recycled. Of course, this means possibly renting a truck or van, loading your junk, and hauling it to the yard yourself.

Not all scrap metal around your home can be recycled. Some of these metals include:

• Lead, found in cathode ray tubes in old TVs
• Radioactive metals like Plutonium and uranium
• Mercury, often found in fluorescent light tubes
• Motor oil and paint cans
• Pots and pans
• Propane gas tanks
• Certain car parts

These metals are often treated with harmful chemicals that could cause damage to the soil and the air once they’re broken down.

The metal recycling industry is a staple in the manufacturing world. This industry provides jobs, produces materials to manufacturers at lower costs, and reduces the need to mine for new metals like aluminum, copper, and steel. Excessive mining is extremely harmful to the environment. As access to rich sources of metals becomes limited, mining methods become more invasive and require more and more energy. Recycling is a much more efficient way to produce metals needed for manufacturing. It uses less energy than sourcing new materials and preserves natural resources. It also helps to reduce garbage sent to landfills and slows down the consumption of natural resources.

Recycling your metal helps prevent excessive mining of metal ores, saving manufacturers large amounts of money and energy resources. Recycling scrap metal also helps reduce the amount of waste that ends up in landfill sites, which in turn reduces the amount of chemical and visual pollution.

Wet paint inside a paint can is generally not accepted by local counties or recycling centers. Before getting rid of extra paint, make sure it’s dried first. Once dried, the tins can be donated to home improvement organizations or picked up by local scrap metal removal services. 1-800-GOT-JUNK? can often help you get rid of paint cans if the paint is dried. When you call to book your scrap metal removal appointment, be sure to mention that you have dried paint. The ability to collect these items may vary by franchise location.

Steel recycling

Steel is the most recycled material on the planet. Once it is recycled, steel can be used to create brand new products such as steel frames for construction material, packaging, and other industrial supplies.

Cast iron recycling

If your old cast iron skillet is rusting through, it may be time for a new one. Don’t throw that metal in with the rest of your trash - it still has value! Call us today and we’ll help you recycle your old cast iron tools, keeping the landfills free of clunky scrap metal and the environment clean.

Aluminum recycling

Aluminum is one of the most common types of scrap metal that is recycled. Many household items are made from aluminum, including soda cans and food tins. During the recycling process, aluminum cans are melted down to be reused in the creation of new products.

Tin recycling

Tin is a soft metal that can be found in all sorts of common items, including pots and pans, electronics, and food and drink cans. Before tossing it into a landfill, tin should be given to local scrap metal buyers and recycling centers so that it can be reused and retain its value.

At 1-800-GOT-JUNK?, we’re scrap metal removal experts. We know how to handle all unwanted scrap and work with local recycling facilities to ensure proper disposal of both metal and non-metal components.