metal recycling
Remelting old cans
Metal recycling is the process of collecting, processing, and remelting scrap metal to create new products.
Unlike many materials, metals can be recycled repeatedly without degrading: Aluminum cans return to shelves within sixty days of recycling.
The practice conserves ore, reduces energy consumption, and keeps waste out of landfills.
Common targets include aluminum, steel, copper, and brass.
- shreddingCutting into thin pieces
- e-wasteDiscarded technological devices
- magnetic separationIsolating substances via magnetism
- ferrous metalsMetals containing iron
- crushersDevices that compress forcefully
smelting · melt down · sorting · circular economy · aluminum · tin cans · refining · raw materials · urban mining · carbon footprint reduction · energy conservation · copper · scrap yard · pollution control · steel · brass · baling · electrolysis
- recyclingrecycle, recycle bin, recyclable, MRF, single-stream
- waste managementwaste, trash, garbage, rubbish, refuse
- resource conservationenergy saving, composting, reusing, rainwater harvesting, insulation
- Metal Industrygold trade, precious metals, refineries, smelters, foundries
- waste facilitytrash compactor, dumpsters, compost bin, weigh station, conveyor belt
- waste reductionreuse, recycle bin, refill, upcycle, downcycle
metal recyclinglandfilling
Burying waste in earth
dumping · throwing away · waste incineration · discarding · ocean dumping
metal recyclingmetal mining
Excavating earth for ores
mining · strip mining · open-pit mining · resource extraction · resource depletion
metal recyclingresource depletion
Exhausting available materials gradually
planned obsolescence · throwaway culture · environmental degradation