At a salvage yard, scrap metal is usually traded for cash. Not only does this make you money, but it helps the environment by reducing metal and electronic waste.
Using recycled metal to create new products reduces carbon emissions and uses less energy and water than using raw materials. Plus, metals placed in a landfill and not properly recycled can leach heavy metal and hazardous materials into the ground and surrounding water sources putting local ecosystems at risk.
Business owners and trade professionals often take their scraps to salvage yards, but homeowners and crafters can also benefit from the service they provide. Sometimes, a salvage company in Clare, MI or your own town will even load the items out of your vehicle, which saves you the time and effort of unloading them yourself.
Steel is an extremely common metal, and in small amounts is not worth much in a junk yard, but if you have large quantities of it, it can be very profitable. Steel can be easy to collect large amounts given how prevalent it is in cars, shelves, workshop cabinets, and outdoor furniture.
Brass is a heavy metal most often found in bathroom fixtures. It can also be found in light fixtures and keys. It fetches a moderate price at most salvage yards, but can be hard work to transport – all that weight adds up quickly.
Aluminum is commonly recycled in the form of soda cans, but there are other ways to recycle the thin, bendy material. Aluminum siding, rain gutters, and some types of doors can all be recycled at a salvage yard. Aluminum isn’t worth much money at a salvage yard, but it’s easy to collect and transport, so it’s a good option for those who want to avoid heavy lifting.
Copper is a great metal to recycle because it’s one of the most valuable. This reddish-brown metal is extremely common in homes, used in electrical wiring, plumbing, and air conditioning units. It’s also used to make pipes and rain gutters.
Recycling metal from a construction or craft project is a way to positively impact your environment while making money. If you have questions about what can be donated in your area, call your local salvage junk yard in Clare, MI, and ask them what they accept. It may be that the car in your driveway or the copper pipes in your garage aren’t junk after all, but rather an opportunity to earn some cash and do some good.
