Collecting and Recycling - Scrap Metal

Scrap! Its whats for dinner tonight!
Recycling scrap metal can be very profitable, especially if you know what you doing, but even if you don't, its why I'm here, to assist you in your craving for metals. Ha ha! Before we get a head of ourselves, if you haven't gotten the chance too, read my other blog on recycling: Recycling - Plastics, Aluminum, and Glass. There are many good tips in that posting that you can also use for collecting scrap metal.

What Do I need First?

• Some Knowledge of Different Metals
• Wire Cutters
• Razer Blade/Cutter
• A Place to Separate and Store Your Metal

There are many kinds of metals in the world. A lot of which have a recyclable value of some kind. Knowing their value and being able to identify them from almost a quick glance is important as it will save you time, sweat, and maybe even tears! I'll provide a list and descriptions (along with pictures) below encase you need to refresh your memory on what metal is what.

Copper on pallets

Copper: With a reddish color to it, copper is the one of the most valuable metals you can find. When exposed to moisture, copper will obtain a light green color type of rust, but this rust can be cleaned off so its not really much of a problem. Copper is used allot in electronic wiring and in plumbing. There are also 2 different kinds of copper, Clean and Dirty. Clean copper, which is bright and has a shine to it, will always net you more. However dirty copper, which could be stained with a green layer or blackened and not shine, will net you less depending on the recycle place. Also, if you leave the insulation on wiring, you'll be given allot less. So it is totally worth the time to strip the insulation off the copper wire.

Aluminum: Has a silver like color to it and its value is a little less then Copper, but it still is worth collecting. Aluminum is used in allot of products: soda cans, house gutters, electrical cables, and piping. Aluminum is the most commonly found discarded metal. On a daily basis, you can see it on the freeways and streets from pipes and soda cans, but mostly soda cans. It is also one of the fewest metals that can be 100% recycled.

Stainless Steel: Usually has a silvery dull shine to it, its value is about the same as aluminum. Stainless Steel is used in many products from cookware, cutlery, hardware, surgical instruments, and to major appliances. As the name mentions, stainless steel does not rust cause of the way its made. It is easily found in outdoor areas and in moist climates.

Steel: Almost the same as Stainless Steel, except lacking the non-rusting abilities of its cousin, is used in many products from home appliances, piping, tire rims, food cans (soup/vegi/meat), bolts, and nails. Most can be found near building tear downs, in your own home, and sometimes in and around dumpsters.


Now that you know the low down of metals, the next step is to know.. where you gonna store it? Depending on your living situation, either be a house or an apartment (or car), there are a few places to store your metals. Its best if you can keep your scrap metal outta of the elements, cause normal steel and copper corrode and that lowers their value. You could keep them in your garage (if you have one) or on the balcony. However, if there is no place to keep them inside, try keep them covered with like a tarp or put them in a plastic container.

My personal way to store and keep metals separated are in milk crates. They are sturdy, not to big or to small, and they got handles for easy transport! Milk crates can be found at your nearest grocery store and sometimes even at the recycle center.

Where do I start?
Finding scrap metals just lying around, specially in big piles, is gonna be very hard, unless your really lucky! However most of the time that won't be the case, so the first place you could start is in and around your own home. From there on out, start looking around your own neighborhood and your place of work. Collect empty soup cans. Cut the extension wires from thrown out small appliances and collect thrown out tv cable, which has copper.

Fair warning, it is against law in most countries to go into "abandoned" buildings and remove these precious metals from the property. The reasoning on why is 3 things:

1. Harvesting metals, such as wiring, from a building could be extremely dangerous as wire could still be live even though the building is abandoned. Not only could someone get extremely hurt, but could die from electricity still going through wires. So its more of a law to prevent loss of life.
2. Taking metals from a building can be considered stealing since the building that you're harvesting from usually is owned by someone.
3. Most abandoned buildings have fencing around them or "should" be locked up. Just because its abandoned doesn't mean its not owned by someone. So you have trespassing issues

The Pay
The amount of cash you'll get varies by two things important factors:

• The metals in which you have
• The amount in weight in which you've collected

The most valuable scrap metal you can collect is by all Copper, while Steel the least valuable. The amount in weight, per pound, will determine how much you get too. Which why its important to collect a good amount, 30 lbs+, before even thinking about taking it to the recycle center. The less trips you can take, the better the reward.

Conclusion
Recycling scrap metal can be a fun small hobby, which can be educational to you and those around you. Heck, it might even lead to something else, like the learning of metal fabrication and my personal favorite, armor smithing.

Links:
Collecting and Recycling Plastic Bottles, Aluminum Cans and Glass Bottles
Dr Andrew J. Smith - How to Make Money Recycling Scrap Metal (very detailed)

Collectiing and Recycling - Plastics, Aluminum, and Glass

The "Math" behind recycling

Can, Glass, and Plastic = $$$

Now you may be thinking, "really? How can I make money by collecting and recycling?" Yes Yes.. I know, but think about for a minute. People throw away these 3 main recyclables everyday, every hour, and every minute into the trash without even thinking about it! I myself have seen it, it amazes me how people can do it so easily.

Now the question I ask you is how do you take advantage of this.. Simple. For example you see someone throw a can into the trash, take it back from the trash can (if you can reach it). 5 cents right there. Now think about what just happened but 100 times.. 100 cans is worth about 5 bucks give or take, depending if you get it weighted or counted. I personally have my recycles weighed cause its easier for me.


"Where is the best place to find Recyclables??"
I've seen allot of people asking the this exact same question over and over again, but the answers aren't always clear. I hope to clear up some of these answers in this part of the post.

1. Events: Events like sports (football, soccer, baseball), Concerts, Conventions, Rallies, and Fairs are only a few places where there are allot of people together and have a a much higher chance to find recycles. Specially, if they are being done outside in the elements, cause the heat makes people drink liquids.
   
2. Beaches: Beaches are a good source of recycles, specially beaches that are near businesses, restaurants, and bars. However, beaches vary during times of the year. Summertime, Holiday Weekends, and well Really Hot days are usually when people populate the beaches. The downside though is that depending on your beach, you might be in competition with homeless people, but rarely that happens. Beaches might also be a good place to collect thrown away scrap metal.
   
3. Malls & Shopping Centers: Malls are usually packed just like Beaches, during the Summertime, Holiday Weekends, and Hot Days surprisingly. Malls and Shopping Centers have trash bins all over the place for people to throw their trash in (and recyclables.) Take advantage of this and know where the trash cans are cause they rarely ever get moved. The downside to this is that you have to find the courage to look through the trash in front of strangers. At first its hard, but trust me, once you get into the mind set, you ignore people looking at you. Trust me, I've done myself.
   
4. Residential Areas: This is kinda tricky. For one, you gotta know what day trash/recycles go out in different Residential areas. For my area, its Wednesday. Depending if you got school or work during the morning, this could be really good source of recycles. Though, it could always change week to week of course cause its hard to guess what peoples' habits are. It might take a couple of weeks to know who puts out and who doesn't.
   
5. Parties and Group Gatherings: Parties usually serve drinks in cans and plastic bottles cause its less wash and clean up. Depending on the size of the gatherings, you could get allot or very little. Also depends if the Host recycles too, but it doesn't hurt to ask the Host what their plans are for the recycles, they might just give them all to you, specially if you help out cleaning afterwords. Doing a Good Deed always has its rewards!
   
6. Bars: I have yet to try this out myself, but I've always wanted for many years now. Now this is more like a business concept, but I'll share it anyways. My idea was to ask local bars to see if they could save their glass for you. Maybe if you were to help supply them with some trash cans and trash bags, they'd keep put their empty bottles and maybe once a day you could take it from them. Now if they ask whats in it for them, you could maybe give them a cut of what you get.... Downside to this Idea is that you need to own a car to transport the glass, cause glass is heavy. Another downside is that usually takes more glass to make money, like for example, 100 pounds worth would net you roughly 10 bucks. (only reason I know that is cause I once obtained 100 pounds worth of glass at one time.)
   
7. Friends and Family: Friends and Family should always be able to help you, so why not ask to to hold on to their recycles for you? You can collect them all at a specific date and there you go! All you had to do was ask. If you want to take it a step further then friends and family, ask your neighbors or the people that live along your street! Specially if your a kid, I wouldn't see why they wouldn't help, but be sure to have a parent with you if your under 12, specially if you don't know the people that well.
   
8. Work and School: Depending on where you work or go to school. There is usually someone drinking from a can or plastic bottle. Since you go to these places almost everyday, why not keep an eye out for recyclables I usually bring home at least 6 pieces or more from work each day. (6 x 5 = 30. 30 x 0.05 = $1.50) Plus if you let people at work or school (or both) know you recycle, usually they are more then happy to help cause it makes them feel good helping you and helping the environment.

This is just a short list of places that I've been experience with or had ideas for. The world is the limit. Go crazy to do what you can to get those recyclables because they are out there, and they are waiting for you to find them. Good Luck and Happy Hunting!