Most surveys indicate that the public wholeheartedly believes in the concept of recycling used items and the environmental benefits that offers.
The bigger issue may that a public used to recycling newspapers, cans and plastic bottles isn’t fully aware of the many other items that can easily be recycled — including scrap metal. And they also may not be aware that doing so not only is highly beneficial for our environment, but that it’s a way of earning money. Because scrap metal is in very high demand today, it makes a lot more sense to sell anything you have made of metal to a recycling firm than to throw it away.
While not everyone knows that scrap metal is something that can be successfully recycled, offering a lot of positive environmental benefits, there are some people who have become “scrappers,” and earn extra money by finding and selling scrap metal.
And a recent survey in England demonstrates that more education is needed on this subject.
Do Most People Know About Selling Scrap Metal?
The international metal and plastic recycling firm EMR recently took a survey of residents of Britain, and found that just 32% of Brits had plans to sell their scrap metal to a metal recycling company. Surprisingly, an additional 8% said they planned to pay someone else to take it away from them.
The study confirmed that in England, not enough residents or business owners understand that manufacturers very much need scrap metal to produce new goods, which is why selling scrap metal can help recoup some of the initial costs you invested in those metal products.
EMR is highlighting the study to encourage businesses and the general public to consider the benefits of selling their scrap metal to a metal recycling firm.
“It is concerning that so few would consider selling it to a metal recycling company and generate some income from it,” said EMR’s UK Chief Executive Officer, Andrew Brady.
EMR is using the study to convince the public to sell their scrap metal items directly to metal recyclers. As Brady noted, “We want the general public to be aware that most metal recycling companies would welcome their business,” and he also called this situation a “massive missed opportunity for the British public.”
As EMR noted, it’s easier than ever today to sell your waste metal to a recycling firm for money, and the truth is that across the globe, the scrap metal recycling industry is a crucial part of the economy.
Why Is Selling Scrap Metal Important?
Think of it this way: there’s a very clear reason why there’s such high demand for scrap metal, and why the scrap metal industry is growing.
Virtually any metals can be easily recycled by taking them to an experienced firm like GLE Scrap Metal. GLE will take the metals they recycle and make them available to manufacturers for building new products.
Without scrap metal, manufacturers would be facing a far more challenging proposition: having to cover the expense of mining for virgin ore to make brand new metals. That’s a far more costly method than using recycled scrap, and mining also isn’t a good long-term solution because there’s a limited amount of virgin ore to be found.
Today, household items like appliances, the automobiles we drive, and the buildings we work in are likely to have been made in part by scrap metal.
The savings from using recycled metals help hold down the cost of construction projects and of consumer goods. It’s a win-win situation all around.
And, of course, there’s the strong environmental benefits of scrap metal recycling. If scrap items are thrown out and end up in landfills, the toxins within them like mercury and lead can seep out into the soil and water, contaminating them.
That’s a key reason why EMR has been trying to raise public awareness about selling scrap metal, to get more people on board with the environmental benefits of doing so.
As Brady noted, “It is time for the UK to put our planet first and realise that all metal can be recycled. Any course of action that results in the metal being reused works for us – but why not benefit financially?”
This issue definitely isn’t limited to the shores of Great Britain. More people in the U.S. need to be aware of the importance of metal recycling, and how easy it is to sell waste metal to recycling firms like GLE Scrap Metal.
Selling scrap metal is a smart and effective way to contribute to the benefits of recycling. Right now, millions of tons of scrap sits unused in garages and basements, or just gets sent to landfills. Those metals can include copper, steel, aluminum, brass, iron and wires — and too often there’s a lack of knowledge that these items can be recycled.
The scrap metal recycling, and the circular economy, benefit every time someone empties out that scrap and sells it.
And these items are common in your home or office. They can include brass, found in hardware like keys, door handles, light fixtures and bathroom fixtures, and are often used in plumbing fixtures or at the end of the copper wiring.
Aluminum is found not only in cans, but also used for gutters, siding, window frames, and doors. And copper is a common material in the structure of many homes, found in plumbing pipes, roofing materials like gutters, inside air conditioners and in a lot of electric wires. Copper is also one of the most valuable metals to recycle.
Selling scrap metal is easy to do — just contact a recycling firm like GLE Scrap Metal to learn more. And recycling scrap is a way to make money while also contributing to the environment.
Selling Scrap Metal
Companies and individuals that support and participate in recycling programs are proving to be enormously beneficial to our environment and our economy. Now it’s time to help spread the word about how anyone can make extra money by selling scrap metal.
And all they need to do is take it to GLE Scrap Metal, which buys, processes and sells all grades of scrap metal, with processing services for the general public, demolitions companies and private businesses. At GLE, we understand that doing so helps to promote the sustainability of the environment.
GLE Scrap Metal also offers logistics and transportation. GLE Scrap Metal offers 55-gallon drums, Gaylord’s, 4×4’s, 4×8’s, and containers in different sizes to suit your site and maximize payload efficiencies.
All of this works to your benefit, since it means we pay you more.
Call GLE Scrap Metal today at 855-SCRAP-88 to request a quote.
