Why Is Scrap Metal So Valuable?

noreply@blogger.com (Asep Saepudin) — Wed, 02 May 2012 17:14:00 +0000

Scrap metal is a term used by the recycling industry to describe whole items or parts made of metal that are currently not in use. Scrap metal can include anything from aluminium drinks cans, steel filing cabinets, broken kettles, construction site leftovers and vehicle parts. Depending on the type of metal involved, recycling and selling scrap metal can be a very lucrative business.
It is also an environmentally-friendly option when building or fixing existing objects, as it reduces dependence on the Earth's limited resources of metal ore. Scrap metal can be melted down and used in everyday metal-based products, such as cars, scaffolding rods and plumbing pipes. It is also a critical resource of the car manufacturing and building industries.
Many people incorrectly assume that scrap metal isn't really worth that much. However, certain types of metals such as copper are extremely valuable and are, in fact, subject to thievery due to the high price it commands. Everything made of metal has a value, even small pieces; whilst a single aluminium drinks can may only be worth a penny, a skip full of cans can really add up. If you're interested in making money selling scrap, you can easily start collecting pieces for free simply by looking around your local neighbourhood.
Rubbish collection days are a great place to source unwanted metal items, such as pipes, chains, copper tubing and car batteries, so keep your eyes peeled on the pavements for a chance to re-home some scrap metal before the bin men get to it. Also, many businesses wish to get rid quickly and easily of unwanted, unwieldy items; you may be able to pocket a small amount of cash in return for the privilege of removing their 'rubbish', and then sell it on to your local scrapyard or scrap metal merchant.
Scrap metal has two forms - ferrous and non-ferrous. Ferrous metal includes steel such as tinned food cans whilst non-ferrous metal includes aluminium, zinc, copper and brass, such as drinks cans and batteries. As we mentioned earlier, copper is one of the most sought-after types of scrap metal and can fetch around £3,000 per ton. Brass attracts a price of around £2,000 per ton, whilst a ton of lead will fetch you approximately £440 per ton. Lead is probably one of the easier metal types to be found, as it is used in old plumbing pipes as well as roofs. Defunct car parts such as batteries, hubcaps and metal bumpers can also be found in abundance at the side of highways and other public roads, and you could clear up some drinks cans while you're at it.
Cars as a whole, in fact, can be a very valuable source of scrap metal. If you have possession of a broken and unfixable vehicle, it's certainly worth taking the necessary measures to get some cash for it. Start by taking the car to pieces; the more parts you can remove from the car, the better. Remember to be careful during the removal process as you don't want to damage the parts and lower their value. Most importantly, remember to remove the tyres as scrap metal merchants have to pay to get rid of them. You could always sell them on to another car owner for some extra cash if they are in good condition. A merchant will pay by weight and will use a crane to lift the car onto a truck for removal. It is therefore, worth filling your car with any other types of scrap metal you have to hand, in order to increase its value even more.

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Why Is Scrap Metal So Valuable?