Recycling is a key part of taking care of the planet, and that goes beyond separating plastic and cardboard from regular trash. According to United Tires, vehicles are recycled more than anything else in America. Here's what you need to know about scrap metal recycling and why it's so essential.

What Is Scrap Metal?

Scrap metal refers to objects made out of metal but no longer usable for their original purpose. Vehicles are one of the most common sources of scrap metal because it takes a lot of metal to produce a car or truck that weighs thousands of pounds. By tearing apart vehicles and other sources of scrap metal, recycling centers can source enough scrap metal to build new things out of recycled materials.

How Is Metal Recycled?

Recycling a car might sound like a big job, but it's simpler than you might imagine. All the fluids inside the vehicle are drained and the vehicle is crushed. Next, a scrapyard melts down the metal so it can be used to create new parts and other metal products. Scrap metal recycling produces materials that can be used to build roads, cars, and just about anything else that's made of metal.

Is Recycling Metal Worth It?

Some types of recycling offer lower returns, but metal is one of the best things to recycle. If you have an old vehicle or scrap metal you don't want anymore, you can recycle it to reduce metal waste. Scrapping is always the right choice when you're deciding between throwing something away or recycling it.

Is There a Reward?

One of the best parts about recycling scrap metal is the reward. Scrap dealers will pay a certain amount of money per pound of scrap metal, and that price varies based on the type of metal you're recycling. Scrapping cars or large amounts of copper can offer you significant returns, so scrapping benefits everyone involved.

Getting rid of large quantities of metal can be tough, which is why many people choose to recycle scrap metal. Whether you have junk cars, heavy-duty trucks, small metal scraps, or any amount of construction materials to unload, we can help. Contact River Valley Recycling today to learn more about our recycling services!