Scrap Yards: Did You Know?
Do you ever worry about the future of your old car or the scrap metal in your garage? If so, worry no more because there are scrap yards all over the country for this exact reason.
Whenever a scrap yard is mentioned, some people think it’s some kind of dumpster for piles of waste, discarded cars, tons of rusted metals, and other rejects. However, this is not the case.
Scrap yards play an important role in recycling metals, protecting the environment, generating revenue, and creating thousands of jobs every year.
What Is a Scrap Yard?
A scrap yard is a recycling facility that collects scrap metal, converts them to usable metals, and then sells them to manufacturers. Scrap yards deal with all kinds of materials, including ferrous metals, non-ferrous metals, electronics, and even old vehicles.
Ferrous metals contain iron and can be attracted by a magnet. On the other hand, non-ferrous metals are metals that don’t attract a magnet, including gold, copper, tin, nickel, aluminum, brass, and bronze.
How Does a Scrap Yard Work?
After buying metal from individuals and metal merchants, the scrap yards will then sell them to manufacturers or recyclers at a higher price to make a profit. Manufacturers prefer using scrap metal instead of raw materials to minimize operational costs.
Before selling to recyclers and manufacturers, scrap yards add value to metal by carrying out a thorough preparation process. This process involves sorting, processing, melting, purification, and solidification.
How Are Prices Determined in Scrap Yards?
The prices of scrap metal in scrap yards mainly depend on the type of metal, weight, and the current market value of the item/metal at the time of selling. Generally, non-ferrous metals fetch a higher price than ferrous metals since they’re hard to come by.
Since metal prices fluctuate daily, some scrap yards hold onto scrap metal in anticipation of higher prices. However, this tactic is mostly used by bigger yards with enough space to store large quantities of scrap metal. Smaller yards usually sell metal quickly at the prevailing market conditions.
Benefits of Recycling Scrap Metal
There are several advantages to recycling scrap metal, including:
- It reduces the amount of waste in landfills and generates additional income for individuals and businesses.
- It creates jobs and increases local investments, thus promoting economic growth.
- Metal extraction and processing are extremely energy-intensive and contribute to environmental degradation. Recycling scrap metal lowers the demand for pure metals, thereby conserving energy and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
What Is Not Accepted in Scrap Yards?
Scrap yards do not accept radioactive waste and materials containing asbestos or CFCs. Most yards usually maintain a list of materials they accept and don’t accept on their websites. Therefore, it’s best to check out this list before making a trip to the scrap yard.
Recycle Your Scrap Metal at Franklin Metals
If you’re looking for a scrap yard to sell and recycle your scrap metal, don’t hesitate to contact us at Franklin Metals. We accept a wide range of scrap metal and are committed to conserving the environment.
