Scrap metal is one of the best materials that you can recycle and it’s usually a component of many items in your own home.
Clothes hangers, batteries, and appliances all have metal parts and can be found in almost every home. It’s important to recycle any unwanted metal not only because you’re reducing your carbon footprint but it keeps it from being discarded in landfills and could generate you a little extra income.
This can be a great fundraising opportunity and learning experience. While some materials, such as glass, are renewable, aluminum, steel and copper are in limited supply.
What kind of metal can I recycle?
The most common types of nonferrous metals that can be recycled are zinc, tin, stainless steel, nickel, lead, copper, brass, and aluminum. These metals are used to make silverware, auto parts, keys, wires, pipes, and even musical instruments.
What’s around the house that I can recycle?
Before you decide to recycle any metals in your home you should have a basic understanding of what non-ferrous and ferrous metals are. The easiest way to remember is that any scrap metal that contains iron is ferrous. Everything else falls into the non-ferrous category. Let’s look at some of the metal items in your home that you can recycle.
Brass Plumbing
It depends on the current market value for brass but this metal is usually a good option for recycling. Brass fittings, plumbing parts, and faucets are all found in your home. If you’ve recently upgraded or are renovating your house you may have several great brass parts worth recycling. It’s a substantial metal so it could bring you a decent return.
Aluminum Pots and Pans
Good quality aluminum can be found in many of your old pots and pans. Sometimes used aluminum pots and pans can be classified as dirty by the scrapyard because they may have some additional elements in the metal. But they’re still worth recycling if you have the opportunity.
Copper Tubing and Piping
There should be a lot of copper piping and tubing throughout your house. Copper is one of the most common metals found inside as well as outside of your home. Copper is always a good idea for recycling because it’s usually priced higher than other types of metals.
Stainless Steel Sinks
If you’ve recently done a renovation to your kitchen, old stainless steel sinks are usually one of the items replaced during the upgrade. The most important point here is to remove any plastic or rubber parts from the scrap. This will ensure that you’re recycling only “clean” material and it will have a higher value.
Ceiling Fan Motors
Don’t throw away that old ceiling fan. If you can remove the plastic and wood from it, you may be able to isolate the motor for recycling. Ceiling fan motors contain electrical coils rich in copper. If the blades on your old fan are made of metal you may be able to recycle them as well.
Backup Batteries
You probably have several electronic items around your house, and most of those have some sort of backup batteries inside them. If you no longer use them, you can recycle them. This type of scrap will have to be dismantled to make it viable for recycling but can still have some value when you bring it to your local scrapyard.
Copper TV Yokes
If you have any old TVs stored around your house they may have some recycling opportunities inside them. The copper yoke in these old sets is usually shaped like a cone and is covered in plastic. There’s copper wire woven around the yoke in strands and it has a high value if you’re considering recycling it.
Power Outlet Bars
These are usually found around a television or a desk and should not be simply thrown away. They typically contain copper and have recycling value. While one power strip may not have much value on its own, if you’ve got a few around the house there could be a lot of wiring worth recycling.
Transformers
These can be found in old electronic devices, chargers and old cameras. They have value because their mechanisms contain copper. They’re small but if you can gather a few of them they may have more recycling value.
Aluminum Furniture
Many households have old aluminum furniture in their backyards. Screen doors, lounges, and patio furniture all have recycling value. Aluminum is light in weight so you’ll need quite a bit of it, but if you remove any plastic or rubber parts from it you should get some value from it.
If you’re decluttering your house a lot of the scrap metal you find can be recycled. Many of us have various items lying around our homes and recycling is the responsible solution rather than discarding them into landfills.
In your garden or patio, you may have old lawnmowers, metal furniture, old iron railing or swing sets. Look in your basement and garage. You might have old power tools, auto parts, bicycles or unused appliances that can be recycled for cash.
Greater Toronto, Here’s How to Make Money Recycling Your Scrap Metal Today
If you’re looking to clean up your home and get rid of old items that could have value you can trust the experts at Manville Recycling. For nearly 20 years we’ve been collecting metal and recycling it for Toronto and the communities around Scarborough, Ontario. We specialize in all types of metals.
The staff at Manville Recycling is a highly skilled team that understands every aspect of scrap metal recycling. We’re dedicated to our client’s needs whether they’re large or small and will provide the very best service. We understand the scrap metal market and offer competitive prices for high-quality scrap metal.
To find out more about what kind of metal you can recycle call Manville Recycling at 416-751-4732 or fill out our short online form. If you’re collecting commercial scrap or just want to recycle metal around your home, we can assist with the process. We’ll also tell you which metals are the most valuable!