Home » Resources » Metals » Recyclable Metals

Recyclable Metals

Recyclable Metals

Metals are valuable materials that can be infinitely recycled without losing their quality or properties, meaning their environmental and economic benefits are numerous. Recycling metals reduces the amount of waste that ends up in landfill sites, conserves natural resources, reduces greenhouse gas emissions and brings down material prices to name just a few.

Metals are an ideal material for use within a circular economy; where they can be recycled repeatedly without losing their quality, they make for a highly environmentally friendly choice – when handled responsibly.

Recycling metals also saves energy, as it requires less energy to recycle metals than to mine and extract the materials required to process into new metals. For example, recycling aluminium saves up to 95% of the energy required to produce it from raw materials, recycling copper saves up to 85% of the energy required to produce it from ore, and recycling steel saves up to 60% of the energy required to produce it from iron.

What Types of Metals Can Be Recycled?

Most metals can be recycled; there are several types of metals that are commonly recycled in the UK. These include:

Aluminium – used in beverage cans, automotive parts, and construction materials.
Copper – used in electrical wiring, plumbing, and roofing.
Steel – used in construction, appliances, and transportation.
Brass – used in plumbing fixtures and musical instruments.
Lead – used in batteries, roofing, and radiation shielding.

These metals can be recycled by melting them down and casting them into new shapes, or they can be reprocessed into new products.

What Can Metals Be Recycled Into?

When metals are recycled, they can be used to make a wide range of new products. For example, recycled aluminium can be used to make new beverage cans, electronics, automotive parts, packaging materials, and construction materials. Recycled copper can be used to make items such as electrical wiring, plumbing pipes, roofing materials, motors, transformers and other electrical components, kitchen utensils, and jewellery. Recycled steel can be used to make new construction materials, automotive parts, packaging materials, appliances, and transportation products.

Metals can also be recycled into entirely new products. For example, recycled aluminium can be used to make bicycles, window frames, and aircraft parts. Recycled copper can be used to make statues, decorative items, and musical instruments. Recycled steel can be used to make furniture, home decor, and industrial machinery.

What Are Recycled Metals Used For?

Recycled metals are used for a wide range of applications, from construction and transportation to art and decor. Here are some examples of how recycled metals are used:

Building and construction – recycled steel is used to make beams, girders, and other structural elements in buildings and bridges.
Transportation – recycled aluminium is used to make car parts, aircraft parts, and bicycles.
Art and decor – recycled copper is used to make statues, sculptures, and decorative items.
Electronics – recycled metals are used to make components in electronics such as computers, phones, and televisions.
Batteries – recycled lead is used to make new batteries for vehicles and other applications.

Conclusion

Recycling metals is an essential part of waste management, and it offers several benefits to the environment, the economy, and the public. Metals are infinitely recyclable, which makes them an environmentally friendly choice. Recycling metals conserves natural resources, reduces greenhouse gas emissions, and creates economic benefits. Most metals can be recycled, and when they are, they can be used to make a wide range of new products.