The Process of Iron Recycling

The Process of Iron Recycling

Unlike other metal recycling, iron recycling incorporates only ferrous metals. Ferrous refers to any metal that contains iron. These metals are magnetic in nature, and contain a significant percentage of iron. With steel, iron is the main ingredient, and other metals are added during manufacturing. In North America, appliances, automobiles, and construction materials account for the major amount of recycled material. Huge amounts of structural steel and automobile metal are recycled every year in Toronto.In the steel industry, iron recycling has been active for longer than 150 years, mainly because of the economic advantages. Simply put, it’s far cheaper to recycle waste iron and steel than to dig up iron ore and go about manufacturing new steel. In itself, steel does not lose any characteristic physical properties in the recycling process. More than that, by recycling, there is much less consumption of energy and resources compared to the mining and refinement processes when using virgin ore.

For businesses that are directly involved in iron recycling, there is no shortage of waste that can be collected, sorted, processed, and recycled in Toronto – from containers and cans, to automobiles and appliances, to building and construction materials. In fact, many of these products already contain significant amounts of recycled material. Just by example, a late model automobile compromises about 65% or more of recycled steel and iron. We don’t notice it, but recycled iron and steel are part of everything.

Iron recycling makes economic sense for companies that are purging waste metal, and companies that are collecting and recycling waste metal. Indeed, there are few down sides with recycled steel and iron. Most importantly, the recycled metal does not lose any of its inherent physical properties throughout the recycling process – it means that finished recycled materials are just as strong and durable as newly manufactured materials. Best of all, the cost of processing and production is less.

Industry wide, there is abundant supply of scrap iron and steel throughout North America – especially Toronto. Because of the consumer-based economy, the sources of waste are plentiful: automobile wheels and bodies; washing machines, dishwashers, and fridges; even hot water tanks and water heaters. Industrial waste is also plentiful, with everything from railroad tracks to machinery.  The thing is, whether it’s consumer waste, business waste, or manufacturing waste, iron recycling plays an integral part.

Iron recycling also plays an important part in decreasing deposits to landfill sites. One of the major benefits, however, is that iron and steel can be recycled over and over again, and as often as required. Today, with many nations around the world lacking in resources, the demand for recycled iron and steel makes for big business and big profits. And as material handling becomes more sophisticated and state-of-the-art, both raw scrap metal and finished recycled metals become valuable to everyone.

In Canada, Tal Metal operates both locally and nationally, buying and selling all types of metals, from iron, to steel, to copper, to aluminum. For more information visit the website at www.talmetal.ca or call directly at 905-660-7081.