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4 Tips For Breaking Down And Sorting Scrap Metal To Make Recycling Easier

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If you want to make some extra cash, recycling scrap metal is easy and rewarding. To get the most from recycling, the metals need to be separated and sorted.  It is also good to know the types of materials that recycling centers accept and the rates they pay out. Here are some tips to help you sort your scraps and get more for your metal:

1. Easily Separating Ferrous and Non-Ferrous Metals  

Ferrous metals like iron, steel, and tin are some of the most common materials that you will find to recycling. These materials are also the least valuable and can easily be identified with a magnet. If the metal is magnetic, then it is most likely ferrous metal. Metals that are non-ferrous are not going to attract a magnet, and these materials will often be more valuable. Many non-ferrous alloys and other metals are valuable, which means the payout will be higher when you take them in to be recycled.

2. Identifying and Sorting Aluminum and Other Valuable Metals

Some non-ferrous metals are more valuable than common steal and tin scraps but may be mixed with these other materials. Aluminum is a good example of this, which is often used for lightweight car parts like transmission cases or engine parts. Remove these materials and sort them apart from other common metals that are less valuable.

3. Electric Motors and Other Materials That Should Stay in One Piece

There are some materials that you do not want to break down. These materials are more valuable as whole pieces, and in some cases, the recycling center will not accept them if they have been tampered with.  A couple of examples of materials that you want to leave as they are electric motors and catalytic converters.

4. Materials That Are Not Accepted and Should Be Avoided When Recycling

There are some materials that are not going to be accepted on recycling centers. If you have things like old paint cans or materials with hazardous waste, they are probably not going to be accepted for recycling. If you have any materials that you are not sure about, you should contact the recycling center and ask if they accept them.

These tips will help you organize to get the most from your scrap metal recycling efforts. If you are ready to get started with your recycling projects, contact a business like Gutterman Iron & Metal Corp for information about the materials they accept and current prices. 


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