Do you have a ton of scrap metal you want to recycle? If so, you should look into hiring a scrap metal recycling company. But what do they do? It's the duty of recycling companies to collect and recycle different types of metals, making them ready for use again. Apart from collecting scrap metals, they weigh them, sort, melt, solidify and manufacture things using scrap metals. Let's take an in-depth look into what duties a scrap metal recycling company carries out.

Sorting and Preparing Into Forms

Before scrap metal pieces are melted, they are first sorted. Once they are grouped, they are then cut down to specific sizes and shapes. Depending on the final use of the scrap metal, it can also be shredded, torched, and baled. This is known as the process of preparing into forms. Once the metal has been processed and is now in its right size, it waits for the next processing stage.

Melting and Refining

Metals are melted differently depending on the purity levels required. When they are melted, impurities will rise to the top and the recycler can easily separate them as needed. After melting, some metals will be subjected to more refining steps. This includes processes like electrolysis. Such processes enable the recycler to get metals as close to new as possible.

Solidifying

Once the metals have been purified, they are then transformed into solids. Metal can take several different forms. For instance, they can be solidified as sheets, wires, coils, or bars. In some instances, certain chemicals are used to make the metal denser or give it particular properties. Once the solidifying stage is complete, the metal will be ready for use.

In most instances, a scrap metal recycling company is not the end user of new metal. They then send it to other sectors who manufacture it into different items. For instance, bars, wires, and sheets can be used by robotics engineers, automakers, aerospace engineers, and in public works projects. These metals are used in these different industries until they are ready for recycling again.

These are just some of the duties of a scrap metal recycling company. Recycling metals is highly beneficial to the environment as it keeps hazardous waste out of landfills and saves energy. According to the North American Electric Reliability Corporation, steel is now North America's most recycled metal. The overall recycling rate of steel is around 88%. If you have any steel to recycle, get in touch with Federal Metals Co today and we’ll be happy to start the recycling process for you.