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Originally Posted On: https://rrswastestream.com/selling-scrap-metal-good-for-your-pocket-and-the-environment/

 

Did you know that in 2017, the US generated a whopping 267.8 million tons of municipal solid waste (MSW)?

Granted, that’s far less than what China and India generate. However, it’s still a lot, seeing as the US only makes up 4% of the world’s population. The US contributes to at least 30% of the world’s total municipal solid waste.

Because of this, the US recycling sector has become a $117-billion dollar industry. Moreover, it creates more than half a million direct and indirect jobs in the nation.

Thanks to recycling facilities, selling scrap metal is now a lot easier for the average Jane and Joe. More than that, scrap metal recycling can actually be a profitable venture.

Ready to learn all about the whys, whats, and hows of recycling those scraps you have at your place of business? Then let’s get right into it!

Why Recycling Scrap Metal Is Great For the Environment

Only a third of the millions of tons of waste that the US generates go through recycling and composting. The remaining two-thirds go straight to landfills and incinerators.

In North Carolina alone, 14.11 million tons of waste went to landfills between 2018 and 2019. These include construction and demolition waste materials. This is twice the amount of waste that the state generated back in 1990.

If this rate of waste continues to increase, the Tar Heel State will soon meet its landfill capacity. As more garbage piles up in these landfills, the more hazardous chemicals they can leach. These toxic substances contaminate and pollute the environment.

This should be enough reason for you to recycle metal scraps generated by your business. Recycling prevents these still-usable materials from getting dumped in landfills.

That’s only one way that recycling can help protect the environment though. Here are a few other benefits of recycling all those materials you discard at the workplace.

Conserve the Earth’s Finite Resources

When you recycle metal, recycling facilities will break them down into usable sections. They will then reform these into pieces called “ingots”. Manufacturers can then make or build new products using these recycled metal pieces.

This then reduces the need to mine more metal or acquire raw materials. Keep in mind that many of these materials are finite, meaning the earth only has a limited supply of them.

Less Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Producing a single ton of steel already emits two tons of carbon dioxide. New aluminum production also generates at least 1% of the world’s greenhouse gases.

Recycling does produce GHGs, but at a far less rate than new productions.

How Recycling and Selling Scrap Metal Benefits Your Business Too

First, there’s the money that you can get from selling scrap metal. Scrap metal prices may not be eye-opening, but they can still net you a good amount of cash. Also, there are constant price fluctuations, so their rate today may be lower or higher next week.

You won’t get wealthy from recycling scrap metal, but it still earns you money that you can use for your business. Remember, it’s cash from trash, so that’s enough incentive to sell all that scrap.

There are other great benefits though, including the two below.

 

Impressive Space-Saver

Unless you own your office building or space, chances are, you pay premium rental fees. Especially if your place of business is in Charlotte. The city has become one of NC’s priciest places to live in, so the same goes for its commercial real estate.

Whether you own or rent your business’ space though, you want to get the most out of its available space. Unused and unwanted scrap lying around will make it hard for you to reach this goal. Not only do you not have any use for them — they also eat up a lot of precious space.

So, why not just scrap them all up? This way, you can reclaim free space while also converting those metals into cash.

Better Branding and Reputation

More than two-thirds of North Americans are willing to pay more for recycled products. Over half of them say that they’d even adjust their shopping behavior if it will do the earth some good.

That should tell you how important recycling is, as well as sustainability, to US folks. If you start recycling your business’ scrap metal, your good deeds will go a long way to making your brand stand out. People who notice your eco-friendliness are likelier to choose you over your competitors.

What Types of Scrap Metal Can You Easily Sell?

Scrap copper, brass, steel, and aluminum are the most common types of metal you can recycle and sell. Most of these are in electronic wastes, such as busted computers and gadgets. Cables and wires alone already contain a lot of these scrap metals!

Office renovations that require demolition also generate a lot of scrappable metal. Some of these include metal plumbing pipes, fixture hardware, shelving, and cabinetry. Old gutters, doors, siding, and window frames are also great sources of scrap metal.

Sell All Your Scrap Metal Now

There you have it, your complete guide to selling scrap metal and why you should do it ASAP. Every ounce of metal you recycle is money that you can put back into your business budget. More than that, being eco-friendly can help you build a better business reputation.

The most important thing is, recycling is one of the easiest ways to conserve the environment. So, do your part now and start selling all those scrap metal you have in your North Carolina business!

Ready to get those scrap hauled and recycled by licensed recyclists? Then please don’t hesitate to connect with us now! We here at Resource Recovery Solutions can even help with your waste management.