Helping the Environment by Recycling Scrap Metal at Home

At Singletons, we play a small-but-essential part in the UK’s recycling industry. Alongside hundreds of other scrap metal dealers, both large and small, we contribute a significant amount to both the UK and EU’s environmental targets.

Recycled scrap plays a major role in copper, aluminium, steel and stainless steel production. Stats from the British Metals Recycling Association (BMRA) show that use of recycled raw materials in these processes helps to cut CO2 emissions by 200 million tonnes per year, while using recycled steel cuts air pollution by 86%, uses 40% less water, and reduces water pollution by 76% too.

Scrap metal recyclers (like ourselves!) contribute to this by collecting and sorting scrap metal, shearing and compacting it to reduce space requirements and make it easier (and more efficient) to transport.

Metals can be recycled again and again – BMRA figures also tell us that 60% of copper produced since the 1900s is still in use today, greatly reducing the strain on the environment from continuous production of new materials.

 

Doing your part at home

We buy and consume a huge amount in the UK, and a lot of it (particularly the packaging) tends to end up in the bin. While waste created by industry, particularly construction, accounts for a much bigger share, recycling in the home will still have an impact. In fact, as much as 14% of the UK’s waste is generated by households.

Our recycling rate, according to government statistics from the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, is about 45.2%, falling short of the EU’s target of 50% by 2020 – but we are improving.

Every council in the UK offers different recycling facilities to its residents. While most offer some form of metal recycling, every council will have slightly different rules on what they will and won’t accept. You can find out exactly what your council will and won’t collect here.

However, if you’d rather get everything collected without any fuss then recycling your metal with a scrap metal merchant could be the most effective way to go.

Most scrap dealers will accept far more than your local council – not just cans, but pipes, wires, electronics and appliances. Many will come and collect your scrap metal for you, and they’ll sort it all too.

If you’ve got good quality scrap, you’ll be able to earn money for your scrap metal too – particularly if you have more valuable metals such as copper or brass to bring in.

If you’re interested in recycling your scrap metal with Singletons, then don’t hesitate to get in touch – or drop by the yard for our scrap metal drive-in.

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