The Durability of Metals: Why Metal Recycling is Superior
Recycling helps the environment; however, not all recyclables keep their quality. Glass survives many cycles, but plastic and paper weaken quickly. Therefore, a material’s value depends on its resistance to degradation during the recycling process.
Metals excel here. Their innate durability lets us recycle most alloys over and over without losing strength. To clarify, the correct recycling process safeguards quality each time. But which metals dominate modern recycling, and how do they gain a new life?
STEEL
Steel is not only 100% recyclable, but it’s also the most recycled material on the planet. Its recycling rate stands at around 85%, which is a staggering number, especially if you compare it with the rate of plastic which is around 20%.
Steel can be repeatedly recycled without sustaining any damage and reused in new products with a benefit to the environment. Using recycled steel in production helps avoid the consequences of mining, e.g. air and water pollution.
COPPER
Humans have been using copper longer than any other type of metal and thanks to its ability to conduct electricity, it’s not going to be discarded anytime soon. Recycling copper is very cost-effective as it uses only about 10% of the energy needed for mining and processing ores.
It also helps avoid producing harmful gases, which are emitted during the process of extraction. Currently, even up to 50% of copper used in the EU comes from recycled sources.
ALUMINIUM
Aluminium can be recycled endlessly without losing any of its quality in the process. The most commonly recycled aluminium items are cans and at over 60% of the estimated recycling rate, it’s currently the most recycled product. Recycling saves up to 90% of the energy needed to process raw materials and is highly effective in reducing the carbon footprint connected with aluminium production.
The sustainability of metals creates great possibilities for recycling and reusing them in the production of new items. But even though the recycling rates are already high, there’s still a lot that can be done in this area. To bring the numbers up even higher there needs to be a bigger focus on the proper waste segregation.
Let’s Keep Valuable Metals in Use
Durable metals create vast opportunities to close the loop in a sustainable way. While recycling rates continue to rise, there’s still room for improvement. Above all, proper waste segregation boosts material quality, increases efficiency, and maximises your earnings. Use separate bins, remove contaminants, and label metals clearly before our team arrives to ensure smooth scrap metal collection.
In short, metal recycling outperforms other materials because metals retain their properties indefinitely. Every can, pipe, or beam you recycle helps conserve resources and protect the environment. More importantly, metal recycling doesn’t just support the planet — it also puts money back in your pocket. Whether it’s copper wires, steel tools, or aluminium cans, reusing these materials keeps the cycle going.
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