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Over 400 million tonnes of metal is recycled each and every year, processing ferrous and non-ferrous metal scrap into valuable secondary raw materials for the smelting of new metals.

Metals suitable for recycling are generally sorted into two separate groups: steel and aluminum. The simplest way to determine the type of metal you have is to conduct a simple magnet test. Steel is magnetic and will stick to a magnet but aluminum is not. Some metal products will feature a symbol

Steel is a major component in buildings, infrastructure, tools, ships, cars, machines and appliances used across the world.

Aluminum is a similarly popular metal that’s capable of being melted at comparatively lower temperatures than steel, making it particularly attractive for recycling. Sources for recycled aluminium include end-of-life vehicles, aircraft, boats, bicycles, computers, cookware, gutters, siding and electrical wiring.

The economic viability of metal recycling is such that the energy saved by recycling metals needs to be much more than the energy needed to produce new like-for-like metals from ores.

For instance, aluminium cans use just five per cent of the energy needed to produce them from scratch during the recycling process; as well as releasing only five per cent of the amount of greenhouse gases. In fact, just a single recycled aluminium can save enough energy to power an 100-watt bulb for up to four hours.

A lot of the metals we use in our daily lives are in fact mixtures, known as alloys. This can pose a number of issues, most notably impacting the ability to sort different metals ready for recycling. Subsequently, the process of metal recycling is not quite as simple as putting it all together and melting it down.

At ASM Metal Recycling we don’t just take in aluminium and steel for recycling. Take a look at some of the other metals you can scrap with us, with a quick guide as to where you can find these types of metals at home:

• Copper – premium-grade copper can hold up to 95 per cent of the value of the original primary metal itself. Scrap copper wiring can be one of the easiest sources of scrap metal: sourced from the base of televisions and computer monitors; inside laptops and DVD players; within large and small electrical appliances; and in handheld electronics.
• Brass – have you replaced your doorknobs recently? You’ll find that many of today’s doorknobs are made of brass which can pay very well in scrap terms. For instance, if you’ve just changed all the doorknobs in your home and you’ve stored the old doorknobs away, that could add up to a haul of 50kg worth of prime recycling metal!
• Zinc – it’s said the average road vehicle features 10kg worth of zinc in galvanised body parts. End-of-life vehicles can be pulled apart and these parts can be recycled and transformed into like-for-like parts with exactly the same material quality.
• Tin – recycling tin requires 99 per cent less energy than creating it from scratch. A good source for scrap tin at home are old kitchen equipment such as soup ladles, woks and cooking bowls.
• Lead – the use of secondary lead slashes CO2 emissions by 99 per cent. Pre-1970’s houses are likely to have lead water pipes, roof flashings and box gutters. Those working in the construction industry will also encounter lead products on an almost daily basis – usually replacing them with alternative materials. Don’t throw any lead into the skip, no matter how insignificant; it remains very valuable due to its recyclable qualities.

Air conditioners are believed to be one of the essential appliances in Australian homes. In fact, more than 4.6 million households in the country use at least one aircon. But if you think that air conditioners last forever, you’ll be disappointed. A good quality AC can have a lifespan of up to 15 years. But if you bought a cheaper unit and failed to have it routinely serviced, it may die faster than expected.

The good news is that air conditioners are no longer that expensive. Some even have new technologies that can help make your home more comfortable, especially during the summer. Whether you need a replacement or an upgrade

What You Need to Know About Air Conditioners

Air conditioning units and dehumidifiers contain components that are not so friendly to the environment. The most known is a refrigerant. Certain refrigerants, specifically R22, are banned in the country. However, old aircon units can still be used. Those that were manufactured in the 90s generally come with this refrigerant. The Australian Government aims to have R22 entirely eliminated in households and commercial applications by 2030.

R22 is known to cause great damage to the ozone layer. It produces greenhouse gases, which do not contribute to the well-being of humans and animals.

Apart from refrigerants, aircon units also have foam blowing agents, which emit dangerous gases into the atmosphere. Although the Government has introduced efforts to stop the proliferation of these materials

Scrap metals include a number of materials such as aluminum, brass, copper, stainless steel, cast iron, lead, zinc, and nickel. Recycling scrap metal contributes to a significant saving in greenhouse gas emissions. Making items from recycled aluminum uses just 5% of the energy as making the same item from raw materials. 

• Ferrous metals predominantly contain iron. These metals are magnetic and usually offer little resistance to corrosion. Ferrous metals include wrought iron, steel, and stainless steel.
• Non-ferrous metals do not contain iron and are not magnetic. They usually offer more resistance to corrosion than ferrous metals. Non-ferrous metals include copper, aluminum, lead, zinc and nickel.
• By collecting and processing scrap metal, we reduce the ecological impacts of mining raw materials from the ground and reduce up to 97% of mining wastes.
• Over 50% of the world’s steel production uses recycled scrap metal, making it one of the world’s most recycled materials.

Copper is a reddish color if it is in good condition. If it is a bit worn, it can have a darker brown color with some green rusted areas. Copper is a common material in your home. You may find it as plumbing pipes, roofing materials like gutters, and inside air conditioners. Electrical wires also contain copper; underneath that black or colored plastic insulation is bright-colored copper wire. Copper is one of the most valuable metals to recycle. So, separating it from your other metals can earn you some “pat-on-the-back” money for recycling it at your scrap yar.

Aluminium is often painted, but unpainted, it is a whitish, silver color. It bends easily if it is thin. Aluminium cans are often collected and brought to the scrap yards in bulk.You can find it in many places throughout your house, including gutters, siding, window frames, doors, and more. Recycled aluminum saves 80 percent of the energy that was used to make it originally, so it’s important to recycle this metal.

Brass is yellowish with a hint of red in it and is quite heavy. You can often find brass in hardware like keys, door handles, light fixtures, and bathroom fixtures. Composed of copper and zinc, brass is used often in plumbing fixtures and also at the end of copper piping.

Steel often rusts easily and a magnet will stick to it. Steel is one of the most common metals used throughout the world. You can find in many places, from your car to chairs, shelves, cabinets, and more. Steel is one of the most recycled materials. It can be melted down and reused over and over.