If you have scrap metal lying around that you need to dispose of, we urge you to consider carefully how you do so. A lot of metal materials can be recycled; the more ethical and environmentally-friendly option for disposing of anything unwanted.

Metal resources are not renewable; our planet has a finite amount, so it’s essential to recycle metal materials where possible as they have endless uses in infinite industries. But particularly in the building industry.

Did you know – 74% of steel used in construction is recycled (source), so it’s important to put your unwanted scrap back into the supply chain again.

Ensure you recycle your scrap metal.

But what if the scrap metal you have to dispose of is ferrous? It sounds bad, right? Ferrous. Does that mean it can’t be recycled?

Let’s have a look at what a ferrous metal is, some examples of ferrous metals and we’ll explain how to recycle ferrous metals.

Let’s go…

What are ferrous metals?

Ferrous doesn’t sound great, right? But, it’s really just an innocuous word that derives from the Latin – ‘ferreus’ which translates to ‘made of iron’. So, it literally means a metal that is, or contains, iron.

As ferrous metals contain iron it means they all have similarities such as:

• They’re heavier
• They’re magnetic
• They can rust
• They’re very durable

Because they’re magnetic, the easiest way to tell if your metal material is ferrous or non-ferrous is to test it with a magnet. If the magnet sticks, then your scrap is ferrous.

Because of their durability, versatility and price, ferrous metals are very commonly used in the building industry.

So, if you have ferrous metal lying around that you need to recycle it’s likely to be:

• Sheet metal
• Tools
• Construction steel
• Beams
• Hot Water Heaters
• Water tanks
• Cast-iron bathtubs
• Farm machinery

All of these are completely recyclable or contain elements that are.

So, now you know what a ferrous metal is, but what about a non-ferrous metal?

Let’s take a look…

What are non-ferrous metals?

Where ferrous metals are durable and heavy, non-ferrous metals contain no iron and are therefore lighter and more malleable. They’re also more resilient to rust and are not magnetic.

Here are some everyday examples of non-ferrous metals:

• Airplanes, trains, space rockets and more
• Aluminium cans and tins
• Copper piping and electrical cables
• Stainless steel sinks

So, you’ve grabbed a magnet, you’ve done a quick test and you can see that the scrap metals you have contain iron – they’re magnetic. You have ferrous metal that you need to dispose, and you’ve decided you’re going to do the right thing and recycle it. But, how?

How does ferrous metal get recycled?

Here’s how…

How can ferrous metals be recycled?

At recycling centres and scrap yards, like ours, we have large magnet machines that can collect magnetic, ferrous metals and sort them accordingly.

Once the metals are sifted, they are taken to be melted down, purified and compacted into solid blocks, sheets or beams. Ferrous metals are infinitely recyclable so it doesn’t matter if this is the first time a piece of ferrous scrap has been recycled or not, it all goes back into the system for reuse.

It’s best practice to ensure you have sifted through your scrap metal before you visit a scrap yard to ensure your ferrous and non-ferrous metals are separated.

Final Words

Metal is precious, it’s a finite resource that hundreds of industries depend on, so recycling scrap metal, including non ferrous metals is important for sustainability.

A ferrous metal is a metal that is or contains iron. It’s durable, hard-wearing, prone to rust and magnetic. It’s also infinitely recyclable and scrap yards, like ours will pay you for donations of ferrous metal.

So, if you have anything like sheet metal, steel, water tanks or some other type of ferrous metal, we’d strongly recommend you take it to a scrap yard like ours and put those precious metals back into the system for reuse.