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Every piece of scrap metal has to be sorted, processed, and handled correctly to be turned into something useful again. If you’ve wondered what happens after you drop off a load of old metal at a scrap yard or what exactly a scrap metal company in Atlanta like M&M Recycling does behind the scenes, keep reading to find out what’s involved.
The whole process gets started the moment you bring in materials to a scrap metal company. This could be anything from old appliances and construction leftovers to electrical wiring and broken tools. Residential customers, contractors, electricians, HVAC techs, and machine shops are all common sources of recyclable metal.
After the metal arrives, the next step is grading and weighing. A certified scale is used to get an accurate weight of the material. Most of the time, a scrap metal buyer won’t give you a flat rate for everything. You’ll get different prices depending on the type and grade of the metal. Copper pays more than aluminum, and clean brass is worth more than mixed metal. Stainless steel, lead, and insulated wire will all have different values. Experienced staff will know how to quickly spot the differences between metals and grade them fairly. What you bring in is what you get paid for, and the breakdown can be explained so you aren’t left guessing.
Next, the sorting will start. Metals are separated into ferrous and non-ferrous metals, depending on whether they contain iron. Magnets, shredders, and various hand tools help out with the process, and some facilities will have advanced sorting equipment like eddy current separators or optical sensors for higher volume loads. Each type of metal needs to be as pure as possible. Clean, well-sorted scrap is more valuable and easier to sell for reuse.
Once sorted, metals are processed into forms that are more usable, so they need to take up less space and be ready for melting down. This can involve:
After the processing is complete, the cleaned and sorted metals are shipped out to mills, smelters, and manufacturing plants. Once there, the facilities can melt down the scrap and turn it into raw material for new products like car parts, construction beams, cans, and wiring.
Scrap metal recycling will put a few bucks in your pocket, but it’s also a great way to help out the planet. Recycling metal uses a lot less energy than mining and refining new ore. That means fewer emissions, less strain on natural resources, and less junk taking up space in your local landfill. Here’s a general list of items that will be accepted by a scrap metal buyer:
Scrap can come from a lot of sources, including renovation projects, auto repairs, industrial equipment, and cleaning out your garage. If you’re new to scrap metal recycling, you can get the most value out of your material if you sort your metals before you arrive. Clean separation usually means better pricing. You’ll want to remove non-metal parts like wood or rubber when possible. Strip the wire if you have the time because bare, bright copper will pay more than insulated wire. Know your metals, too. Brass and copper can look very similar, but they have very different values.
Recycling scrap metal is a great way to make some quick cash and help the environment at the same time. If you’re cleaning out an old shed or clearing off a job site, M&M Recycling is here to help. We offer fair prices and will make the process simple from start to finish. There are a lot of scrap yards out there, but not all of them prioritize customer service or transparency. We offer fast turnaround so you aren’t waiting around and clear communication about how we grade your material. Do you need help figuring out what your scrap is worth? Bring it in, and we’ll take a look. Our team is happy to walk you through the process and answer your questions so you can walk out with cash in hand.
