3 Things You Didn’t Know You Could Recycle

nonworking appliances that were sold for scrap to a Illinois scrap yard for recycling.

3 Things You Didn’t Know You Could Recycle

Most home and business owners throughout the country are unaware of the vast number of things that can be recycled, choosing to throw away old and unusable items rather than bring them to a recycling center. Unfortunately, this leads to unnecessary waste that could be prevented.

Statistics show that Americans throw away enough aluminum every year to rebuild our entire commercial air fleet, and waste nearly one million pounds of materials per person per year. What’s more, despite representing just five percent of the world’s population, Americans generate 30 percent of the world’s garbage.

But you can do your part to recycle more and reduce waste. Here are four things that you didn’t know that you could recycle and that you shouldn’t just throw out–

1. Appliances

It’s not just small household appliances that can be recycled, but large ones, too. In fact, recycling your refrigerator, stove, air conditioner, and more is one of the best things that you can do for the earth. In fact, steel–which is the most recycled material in the U.S.–makes up 75 percent of the average appliance. What’s more, recycled home appliances account for about 10 percent of total recycled steel each year. If you’re recycling a product with fluorocarbons or chlorofluorocarbons, it’s important to work with a qualified recycler who knows how to dispose of these materials safely.

2. Whole Computers

Dumping your old computer in the landfill is an environmental hazard – computers contain up to eight pounds of lead, as well as other toxic materials that contribute to environmental contamination. That being said, you can drop off whole computers with a certified recycler who will salvage any recyclable materials and safely dispose of hazardous or toxic ones.

3. Electric Motors

Practically any piece of equipment or tool that uses electricity and has moving parts functions with the use of an electric motor. Motors can be brought to a scrap recycling center, which will separate salvageable materials, including the large amounts of copper wire that are found within most electric motors.

…And That’s Not All!

The list of recyclable materials is just a small handful of the everyday items that Americans often throw out, but could be recycling. At SMS, we are passionate about scrap recycling and want to take all of your sources of unwanted scrap metal. To learn more about our recycling process and other materials that we will buy from you, please contact us online or call one of our locations directly – we have offices throughout the country. You can reach our Burnham, Illinois location at 708-730-1400.

Who Benefits from Scrap Metal Recycling?

recycling metal concept for finding a good scrap metal recycling center near me.

Who Benefits from Scrap Metal Recycling?

The majority of home and business owners throughout the United States are quick to take their unwanted materials–many of which contain salvageable ferrous and nonferrous materials–to the dump. However, these individuals should be taking their unwanted items to a scrap recycling center, and for good reason: scrap metal recycling benefits everyone.

Why Is Recycling So Important?

The benefits of recycling are myriad. Three of the tops reasons that recycling matters include:

  • Recycling helps the planet. Whether you’re an environmentalist or not, there is no doubt that recycling keeps products out of the waste stream and mitigates the necessity of metal mining and new production. Indeed, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reports that in a single year, recycling and composting prevented 87.2 million tons of materials from being disposed of, preventing the release of about 186 million metric tons of carbon dioxide into the air. That’s the equivalent of taking more than 39 million cars off the road for a year.
  • Recycling stimulates the economy. Recycling does more than just help the earth (and subsequently, the humans who inhabit it); it also stimulates the economy. A 2016 report concluded that for every 1,000 tons of materials collected and recycled, $76,030 in wages and $14,101 in tax revenues were generated.
  • Recycling creates jobs. Finally, recycling helps the economy and individuals by creating jobs for workers across the nation. One report found that the scrap metal industry generated over 150,000 direct jobs and 323,000 indirect jobs in a single year and that the overall U.S. recycling industry employed about 1.25 million people in a single year.

So Who’s Benefiting?

When asked who’s benefiting from scrap recycling, the answer is obvious: everyone! A strong economy, job creation, and reduced carbon dioxide in the environment are advantageous for everyone in the United States, regardless of where you live or what you do.

There’s Cash in it for You, Too

What’s more, when you choose to recycle your unwanted scrap materials with Scrap Metal Services, LLC, you’ll get more than the feel-good sensation that comes with knowing that you’re doing the ethical thing; we’ll also pay you top dollar for your scrap! This is an easy way to pad your pockets or add money to your business’s coffers.

Call Scrap Metal Services, LLC Today

To learn more about scrap metal recycling and how our company can serve you, please reach out to us directly. We have locations throughout the United States and provide comprehensive on-site and transportation services depending on your needs. Reach our Burnham, Illinois location by phone at 708-730-1400 or contact us by sending us a message directly. Our scrap metal recyclers are ready to serve you!

Metal Prices Are on the Rise – Recycle Your Scrap Today

dollar bills indicating an increase in price for scrap metal with scrap recycling center in your area.

Metal Prices Are on the Rise - Recycle Your Scrap Today

Metal prices throughout the world are on the rise, making scrap metal more valuable. If you’ve been thinking about recycling your scrap with a trusted scrap recycler near you, now’s the perfect time to do so. At Scrap Metal Services, LLC, we base our cash offers on current metal values; you can maximize your payment by recycling with us while prices are booming.

Ferrous and Nonferrous Market News

According to iScrap App, which tracks metal and scrap prices globally, as of February 28, 2019, the steel national average is up by $123.00 per ton, and the copper national average is up by $2.24 per pound. As steel and copper prices increase, it’s predicted that the value of some other metals will follow suit, too.

The trend isn’t limited to February of the current year; instead, data shows that steel (and other metal prices) have been continually increasing over the last year. In fact, the major categories of steel purchased by manufacturers and producers have increased between 18 – 25 percent over the past year.

While the higher metal prices can be damaging for U.S.-based manufacturers who rely on steel imports from other countries to do business, there is an upside: rising metal prices (and tariffs) are pushing companies that need metal for production needs to turn to U.S.-based metal processors. This, in turn, has a direct effect on scrap metal prices in the U.S., driving prices up as demand increases.

Sell Your Materials Today

It’s impossible to predict how tariffs and global steel prices will affect scrap metal prices in the future, but today, scrap metal prices are strong, and as such, it’s recommended that you sell scrap materials now while the market is robust. Note that big things are happening in terms of metal prices, as the United States and China are sketching the details of a deal to end the trade war.

Scrap Metal Services, LLC Is Ready to Buy from You

At Scrap Metal Services, LLC, we are passionate about scrap metal recycling. If you have ferrous or nonferrous materials and items on your property, including farm equipment, machinery, and more, we want to be of service. When you call our trusted scrap recyclers, we will manage all of the logistics associated with processing your scrap, including transportation, weighing, and metal separation. We not only are a trusted name a global leader in the scrap recycling industry, but we also pay top dollar in cash for your scrap.

To learn more, please contact us by phone or online today. We have locations nationally.

Factors that Affect Scrap Metal Prices

Price word cloud for scrap metal pricing trends when wanting to sell scrap metal.

Whether you’re a business owner that purchases scrap metal post-processing, or an individual or a business owner that sells your scrap metal for processing, understanding how scrap metal prices are set is important. Consider these primary factors that affect scrap metal prices in the United States, and feel free to reach out to one of our scrap yards or scrap mills for more questions about the current prices that we are offering to buy scrap metal–

Energy and Production Costs

Clearly, the costs of energy (and production) can have a large effect on the price of scrap metal. Energy costs include the costs of gas, oil, and other sources of electricity. When costs of processing are especially high, the price that is offered for scrap metal may drop in order to make up for the difference. That being said, if the costs associated with new metal mining are particularly high, this can make scrap metal and scrap recycling a more valuable endeavor.

Supply and Demand

One of the most basic economic theories that drives the price of scrap metal is that of supply and demand. This theory holds that the greater the supply of a product, the lower the price; the greater the demand, especially when supply is limited, the higher the price. When scrap metal is in low demand and high supply, scrap metal prices will be lower.

Price of New, Virgin Metals

Another element that can affect the price of scrap metal is the price of virgin metals – those that are newly mined and have not ever been used, recycled, or processed. When virgin metals are more expensive (which can be driven by energy and production costs and supply and demand), scrap metal becomes more valuable as an alternative to virgin products. On the other hand, when virgin metal prices drop, scrap metal becomes less essential, as industries can afford virgin metals instead.

Contact Scrap Metal Services, LLC for Fair Scrap Metal Pricing

At Scrap Metal Services, LLC, we always pay top dollar and fair market value for our customers’ scrap metal and are transparent in how our prices for scrap are determined. To learn more about our scrap pricing, what we buy and what we do not buy, and our locations throughout the United States, please reach out to us today.

We are a leader in the scrap recycling industry with a reputation of excellence, sustainable practices, and worker safety. Please call us today at 708-730-1400 or send us a message directly.

Industry Insights for the Scrap Metal Industry

market revenue concept when looking for steel recycling industry trends

The scrap metal and scrap metal recycling industries are a very important part of U.S. revenue and economic wellbeing, generating billions of dollars every year and providing numerous jobs. Of course, like all industries, year-over-year changes and fluctuations in the market are common. Here are some industry insights for the scrap metal industry for 2018 that are important to know if you work in the scrap metal industry, or are a scrap metal buyer or seller–

Who Are We Talking About When We Say “Scrap Metal Industry?”

When we use the term “scrap metal industry,” we are talking about numerous different players. These key players include:

  • Steel and iron recyclers;
  • Aluminum scrap recyclers;
  • Lead scrap recyclers;
  • Copper scrap recyclers; and
  • Other nonferrous scrap recyclers.

In addition to recyclers, all those involved in the collection and processing of ferrous and nonferrous materials are counted, too.

Revenue Is Slightly Down

According to IBISWorld, over the past five years, the scrap metal industry has declined ever so slightly – 2.3 percent to be exact. As such, U.S.-based scrap metal revenue generated approximately $39 billion in 2018. In addition to the slight revenue decrease compared to previous years, the number of scrap metal businesses has also decreased by .9 percent, and the number of scrap metal employees has decreased by .6 percent.

What’s Expected for the Industry?

It can be difficult to make accurate predictions about the industry – a change can be preceded by a political move, bad weather, or numerous other unexpected circumstances. That being said, some forecasts for the future include:

  • The price of steel is expected to fall slightly, which could threaten the scrap recycling industry. When prices for steel are lower, there is less demand for scrap recycling.
  • However, the industry could also experience a boom in the future, at least in the United States. This is because China buys a lot of American recycled steel products, and as the GDP of China is expected to increase, so are the country’s building and development needs, increasing the demand for steel.

Contact Scrap Metal Services, LLC Today to Learn More

If you have questions about scrap trends or scrap recycling or want to get fair market value when selling your scrap, call our team at Scrap Metal Services, LLC today. We are a leader in the scrap recycling industry and have years of experience behind us. Reach us at 708-730-1400 today or send us a message to learn more.