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Cleanup Properties of Scrap Metal

Much of the metal used in industry and commerce can be recycled after it is discarded as scrap. According to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, common products that can be used for scrap include metal pipes, roofing and bed springs. Arizona State University points out that the metals that can often be recycled include aluminum, steel, copper and tin. Marisa Miller Hegyesi at the Houston Advanced Research Center adds that natural resources like iron and coal are preserved every time metal is recycled.

Aluminum Recycling
- Aluminum is one of the most commonly recycled scrap metals because of its ubiquity in commercial use. Aluminum is highly ductile and can be stretched into strong yet lightweight sheets perfect for vehicles like airplanes and automobiles. Aluminum production can be energy-intensive and so any recycled aluminum scrap reduces the need to burn fossil fuels in order to generate fresh aluminum. After being melted down, aluminum scrap metal can be recast into commercially viable products.
Steel Scrap Reprocessing
- Steel is one of the strongest and hardest metals available, and is commonly found in scrap metal piles. Steel is used in the construction of humankind's largest structures. Bridges, skyscrapers, and ships are often made largely out of steel. Steel is an alloy of iron and resource-intensive to produce, but can be melted down after it is discarded as scrap and remade into equally tough and viable commercial-grade steel. Cleanup of steel scrap reduces the space necessary for scrapyards and reduces the need for iron in the steel industry.
Tin Scrap Cleanup
- Tin is a relatively soft metal that is nevertheless widely used due to its relative resistance to environmental degradation. Tin is often found in older cans and as a roofing material, and so a good deal of scrap metal is in the form of tin. Cleanup of tin scrap is achieved by collecting tin and melting it, then reshaping it into a useful form. Tin scrap is often obtained by melting down a more complex, composite scrap metal pile, as its relative softness means it is often alloyed with other metals.
Scrap Copper Cleanup
- Copper metal has long been used in applications that require a highly ductile substance that is resistant to corrosion over time. Copper wires are present in most electronic devices and in home electrical systems, and copper pipes allow wastewater fluids to be safely moved from homes to sewage reprocessing plants without leakage. Copper scrap metal is common and is fairly easily cleaned and recycled because much copper scrap can be directly reused, welded or bent into a useful shape, rather than melted and reshaped.

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