Recycling Rusted Metal: Here's Everything You Need to Know
If you're trying to sell metal to a scrap yard, one of the things you have to contend with is rust. Ferrous or magnetic metals usually contain iron in their composition, and this makes them vulnerable to corrosion when exposed to moisture. Metals that contain iron may not fetch a lot of money as would non-ferrous ones, but this doesn't mean they shouldn't be recycled. Handing them over to a scrap yard reduces the amount of waste metal that ends up in the landfill.
If you have rusted metal, you may be wondering whether the rust will impact its value to the scrappers. Keep reading to learn whether you can recycle rusted metal and how to go about the process.
Can You Recycle Rusted Metal?
The answer is yes! You can recycle the metal; however, there are a few things you should note. First, rust affects the structural integrity of metal by eating through the metal and causing it to weigh less. Therefore, since scrappers pay you by weight, you'll get less money as compared to if the metal had no rust.
What's more, the scrappers will also look into the composition of the metal before accepting it. For parts that are part metal and part vinyl, the scrappers check the percentage composition of the metal. If the metal part is badly worn, leaving only the vinyl intact, some scrappers may not accept the material for recycling.
Tips for Recycling Rusted Metal
There are a few things you can do to make the metal more appealing and valuable to scrappers. Also, taking measurements before visiting the yard will save you from wasting time and energy only for your metals to be rejected. Thus, before recycling, sort your metals, clean them and separate parts such as plastic and timber. Some scrappers charge you for sorting and cleaning metals; therefore, by doing these tasks, you can save money on the sale.
Once the metals are sorted and cleaned, check for those with extensive rust damage and put them aside. Some scrappers reject such metals, and it's essential to call and ask whether they take extensively rusted metals before hauling them to the yard.
What Happens to Rusted Metal During Recycling?
You may be wondering what the scrappers do with recycled metal that contains rust. During the recycling process, the metal undergoes a process known as purification, where carbon is added to the metal to remove oxygen. Once oxygen is removed, the metal is free of rust and can be processed into metal sheets for use in various applications.
Recycling rusted metal is possible, but there are conditions attached to the process, and these vary from one scrap yard to another. Talk to your scrap metal buyer beforehand to determine whether they accept rusted metal.
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