The Importance of Metal Recycling: Copper and Zinc

by | Aug 17, 2021

When we first think of recycling, metal probably isn’t the first material that comes to mind. But recycling metals, like steel, copper and zinc account for a significant share of global recycling, conserving significant energy and resources.

Recycling metal is the process of recovering scrap metal from old or demolished structures or from different products that are no longer in use. It can be recycled into its rawest form and used in the manufacture of new goods. This can be a multi-step process that includes the recovery and refining of many types of precious and non-precious metals.

Metal Recycling in Toronto

Recycling in general has become more popular throughout recent years. Most people are aware of the importance of recycling cans, bottles, paper and cardboard, but may not know how many different types of metals can also be recycled. There are a myriad of reasons why it’s important to recover metal and recycle it.

Recycling metal saves valuable resources from ending up in landfills, reduces pollution, and saves animal and plant habitats. It also frees up space in landfills that would otherwise be filled by these materials. Scrap can be remelted and refabricated into new products many times. Metals are elements that can be used over and over, saving natural resources from being depleted. Recycling instead of mining new ore releases far less gas emissions that can cause air pollution and contribute to climate change. In this way recycling can actually help improve the quality of air in cities, cutting down on the number of respiratory issues in the community.

Of course we don’t want to leave out everyone’s favorite part of metal recycling: the profit. Metal recycling can be quite profitable depending on the quality and quantity of your scrap metal. So let’s explore some of the top metals we recycle so you can find out how to best utilize our services.

Copper Recycling Toronto

Copper is reddish orange in color. It’s not magnetic but easily conducts electricity as well as heat. Copper is primarily used in the production of pipes for plumbing, circuit boards and electrical wiring. It’s also the main ingredient in brass. The benefits of recycling copper are numerous:

  • It’s less expensive to recycle copper than to mine new copper of the same value.
  • Landfill waste is greatly diminished, which is good for the environment and limits harmful pollution.
  • There are many copper resources and it’s a finite resource so conserving and recycling copper is critical.

Many types of copper can be recycled, including everything from copper pipes to copper wiring. If you’re in the Toronto region and considering recycling your copper, use our handy guide to the basic grades of copper to identify what you have to recycle.

Zinc Recycling Toronto

Zinc is bluish-grey in color and is a dense, non-magnetic element. Despite its density, it can be brittle but has many uses. It’s combined with copper to make brass and with metal to make galvanized steel. Zinc is used in the manufacture of vacuums, locks, door handles, and screen doors. It’s even utilized in sculptures and gumball machines! The benefits of recycling zinc are numerous:

  • If zinc is recycled it reduces waste by not ending up in landfills that could damage the environment.
  • Mining new zinc ore can be harmful to the environment. Harmful gases, chemicals, and metal particles occur during the extraction process. By recycling zinc these emissions are greatly reduced.
  • Zinc is non-renewable, which means it’s a resource that we’ll eventually run out of. But it’s also essential to building and manufacturing. That’s why zinc recycling is so important.

Recycling zinc used to be a complex process because it most often needed to be separated from other materials. We’re happy to have the technology to easily allow the Toronto community to recycle their zinc-containing materials. If you have galvanized steel you’ll want to read more about the process that we offer here in Toronto of recycling zinc.

Scrap Metal Drop Off in Toronto

Scrap metal can pile up over time. It can be in people’s homes or businesses. Equipment and appliances become old and need to bet replaced. You may be left wondering what to do with broken or end-of-life discarded items. It can be challenging to try to figure out how to responsibly discard these metals. The best solution is to contact a professional service to recycle it.

Manville Recycling is a leader in the metal waste recycling industry. If you have metal waste, we can handle it. Whether it’s domestic household items, appliances, or even automotive parts it can be dropped off at any of our locations.

Scrap Metal Drop Off in Scarborough

Manville Recycling closely follows all government guidelines for metal recycling in a responsible environmentally conscious manner. If you have metal items or metal waste you are looking to discard and are not sure if its recyclable, simply contact us.

We can come out to your location and provide you with the information you need to get your  metal removed and recycled. We offer efficient and reliable service to Toronto residents and businesses for all types of discarded metals. We accept copper and zinc, titanium, stainless steel, tungsten, aluminum, and brass. These types of metals are valuable and we offer competitive compensation rates. We can also recycle E-waste, network equipment, compressors, transformers, batteries, and even automotive motors.

Feel free to contact Manville Recycling for all of your recycling needs at 1-416-751-4732 today!