10 Facts About Scrap Metal Recycling That Will Make You Think

We all know recycling is important, but often the message of just how important it is, and how big a difference an individual contribution can make is underplayed. To help you get a better idea of just how much recycling (even on a small scale) can benefit the planet, we’ve put together a list of 10 insightful facts about scrap metal recycling.

1. 1. Aluminium was only discovered in 1825
      Although it was only discovered 191 years ago, it is the most abundant metal available on earth and highly recyclable. About two thirds of all the aluminium that has ever been produced is still in circulation.
   2. Recycling just one aluminium can saves a lot of energy
      The energy saved from recycling just a single aluminium can could be used to continuously run a 100-watt light bulb for around 20 hours, a television for two hours, and a computer for three hours.
   3. Steel is the world’s most recycled material
      It can be recycled infinitely without deteriorating and recycling steel consumes around 60% less energy than it takes to manufacture virgin steel from iron ore. It is thought that almost every steel product on the modern market contains at least some recycled steel.
   4. Scrapping your car saves tons of raw material
      Giving your car to the scrapyard instead of the junkyard saves around55 kg of limestone, 635kg of coal, and 1134kg of iron ore; that’s nearly two tonnes of raw material!
   5. It takes between 200 and 500 years for an aluminium beer can to decompose
      But in 2010, Australian’s only recycled some 67.4% of the 3 billion aluminium cans they used.
   6. Australians waste a lot of steel
      It is estimated that every year, Australians send enough steel to landfill to make 40,000 fridges. Steel cans, cars, and old or broken appliances are some of the most common things we throw away instead of recycle.
   7. But we’re still one of the most prolific recyclers of household waste
      98% of Australian households are reported to participate in some form of recycling. This means a waste diversion rate of over 40% which is higher than that of Canada, England, and the United States.
   8. 98% of a car battery is recyclable
      But despite this, around 90% of batteries are not recovered and this is a problem because batteries that are sent to landfill release all kinds of pollutants which threaten both the environment and human health.
   9. It takes just 60 days to put a recycled aluminium can back on the shelf
      Aluminium cans are generally part of closed loop recycling where the recycled product is turned into the same thing once again. The closed loop means that it takes just two months for the metal to be recycled, repurposed, and placed back on the supermarket shelf.
   10. The US is one of the world’s most prolific copper recyclers
       In fact the amount of copper recycled in the US every year could be cast into 25,000 Statues of Liberty.

If you’re looking for a place to get cash for scrap metal in Melbourne, look no further than Metal Men. We offer 24-hour pickup and will take any amount or type of metal including car batteries. Call us today on 03 5941 6677.