Go Green by Understanding Recycling

What Does A Scrap Yard Do?

Many people have heard of scrap yards or have seen them in movies. However, not too many people know what actually happens in a scrap yard or how they function. Scrap metal recycling is a fascinating business, one in which the more understanding you have, the more money you can make. Here are a few scrap yard basics, and how you can make more money on your scrap metal.

The Basics

Scrap yards basically make money by collecting junk metals and selling them to a refiner who will then recycle them and turn them into new metals. Since it can be a bit of a hassle to bring in scrap metals to recycle, scrap yards buy metal from people. In addition, many scrap yards will take the time to crush metals or bale them in order to turn a bit more of a profit. Some scrap yards even sell parts to the public which may be used in repairs.

The Market

The price that a scrap yard can sell scrap metal for changes each day based on the metal, refiner needs, and the supply available. Consequently, many scrap yards work in much the same way as the stock market, with employees trying to buy metal when the price is low and sell it to refineries when it is high. If you are going to sell some metal to the scrap yard, you should pay attention to the market so that you can sell your metal for a good price. 

The Process

While it may sound extremely simple, getting scrap metal from the point of purchase to the point of selling to a refinery can actually be quite the process. For example, the metal may come in extremely dirty or in very small pieces. In order to get a good price for it, many scrap yards will take the time to clean the metal as well as smash smaller pieces into a larger piece. Metal refineries would waste a lot of time and money if they spent their equipment refining small pieces of metal individually, so they expect scrap yards to do a bit of the metal preparation. 

In conclusion, scrap yards are hardworking and necessary companies that help to utilize materials that would otherwise end up in landfills. If you have the opportunity to sell scrap metal, you should support your local scrap yard, and you may make a bit of money. Look for a scrap yard like Gutterman Iron & Metal Corp near you.


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