Where Does Recycled Metal Go?

The need to go green is very important, especially in light of the worsening effects of pollution and the depletion of natural resources. We’re advised to recycle anything that can be recycled, be it paper, plastic, or metal, and we’re also advised to patronize products made from recycled materials. Through these, we’re not only helping the environment but helping save natural resources as well.

One of the most popular materials to be recycled is metal. Scrap metal is collected as well as reclaimed from different sources such as homes, offices, junkyards, manufacturers, etc. Once metal has been reclaimed, they are then sent to processing plants where they will be sorted out, sifted, and recycled.

Where Does Recycled Metal Go?

The Process of Recycling Metal

When the processing plants receive the reclaimed materials, they will then sort it out accordingly. Metal is separated from paper, wood, plastic, and rubber. Once done, the scrap metal will then go through an industrial shredder, after which it will still pass through another sifting process that makes use of magnet. What will be left of the whole sorting and sifting process is an almost pure variety of scrap metal.

The scrap metal will then be fed into a blast furnace where the high temperature will melt the scrap metal until it becomes liquid. The process of melting the scrap metal will also burn off or melt any impurities that might have been left during the sorting and sifting procedures. When the scrap metal is already in its liquid state, it will then be poured into molds and casts that will be used in the production of new products.

New Products from Old Scrap Metal

Scrap metal can be made into different new products. They are used in many promotional pens, business card holders, and ID holders. They’re also used in key holders, plaques, letter openers, signage, paperweights, pins, among others.

Aside from companies that manufacture promotional products though, the metal building and structure industry is also making use of recycled metal in their products. Instead of extracting raw metal from the ground and spending more money in transporting, refining, and processing raw metal, they use recycled metal for their products. They turn scrap metal into metal barns, garages, carports, cabinets, and even metal hangars. You can even have metal buildings custom made for you such as gazebos, dog houses, guard houses, etc. You only have to work with the manufacturer in creating a good design, and in no time at all, the manufacturer will deliver and construct the metal building for you.

Other industries that make use of recycled metal are the automotive, construction, electronics, and appliance industries. Recycled metal becomes a part of a car, a metal beam, a mobile phone component, or a new washing machine.

Recycled metal is also used in the art industry. They are molded into decorative pieces such as metal sculptures, lanterns, garden decors, wall art, etc.

Really, there are so many uses for recycled metal, and there are also so many benefits that we can get from using recycled metal and patronizing products made from it. Not only are we helping conserve our natural resources, but we are also helping the environment at the same time.


The author, Jennifer Dalcour, through this article, hopes to help readers understand the importance of recycling metal better. She is a freelance content provider who writes for www.GetCarports.com, a company that manufactures metal buildings.

Filed in: Recycling

One Response to “Where Does Recycled Metal Go?”

  1. Christina Cruz
    August 10, 2012 at 2:05 am #

    Thank you for this post. I try to explain the benefits of recycling scrap metal to people and I don’t know if they totally get it. I will recommend that people read this next time. Thanks again.