At Warrell Richards, we are passionate about reducing our carbon footprint,

this is one reason we choose to design and build metal toolboxes over the plastic alternative.

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Metal is a material that is endlessly recyclable –

for example, aluminium drinks cans can be on sale as another can in just 60 days,

so it’s crucial we each play our own part in making sustainable choices and recycle our waste metal.

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How does plastic harm the environment?

Plastic sticks around in the environment for an extremely long time, threatening wildlife and spreading toxins.

Plastic also contributes to global warming.

Almost all plastics are made from chemicals that come from the production of planet-warming fuels (gas, oil and even coal).

Our reliance on plastic therefore prolongs our demand for these dirty fuels.

Burning plastics in incinerators also releases climate-wrecking gases and toxic air pollution

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Metals

Metals are elements that start out as rocks (called ores). It takes lots of energy to mine them, grind them, and heat them up (smelting) to get just the part we want.

For example, it takes eight tons of the ore bauxite to make one ton of aluminium. While this process is very energy intensive, the good news is…Almost ALL metals can be recycled.

 

Which metals can I recycle?

• Aluminium

• Stainless Steel

• Mild & Medium Steel

• Brass & Bronze

• Cast iron

• Cooper

• Tin

• Lead

• Silver

• Gold

• Platinum

 

Which metals cannot be recycled?

• Any radioactive metal like uranium, plutonium or objects containing mercury.

• Also off limits are lead-containing products like cathode ray tubes (found in TVs and computer monitors).

• The only can that is not recyclable at home is a partially full aerosol can which is classified as hazardous waste.

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WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF RECYCLING METALS?

Because many metals can be re-melted and reshaped countless times, scrap metal is a resource which can never be depleted.

By recycling metal, you can reduce pollution, save resources, reduce waste going to landfills and prevent the destruction of habitats from mining new ore.

• Environmental Benefits – Recycling metal conserves natural resources by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and using less energy than making new metal from virgin ore. The production of new metal releases a larger amount of greenhouses gases compared with making products from metal which is recycled.The emissions from creating new metal sources influence climate change as well as cause harmful levels of air pollution, resulting in health problems for many people. The Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries says that recycling metal could cut greenhouse gases by 300 million to 500 million tons.Not only this but using scrap metal instead generated 97% less mining waste and 40% less water.

• Energy Conservation – Energy saved from recycled materials is 92% for aluminium, 90% for copper and 56% for steel. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, by recycling a single aluminium can, you can save enough energy to power a 60-watt light bulb for around 4 hours.

• Economic Benefits – Metal recycling creates 36 times more jobs than sending the same metal to an incinerator and 6 times more than sending your metal to a landfill. The recycling industry as a whole generates a lot of money annually for the economy. Not only this, but the products created from recycling are reused, whether this is going back into shops, or being used in businesses everywhere, creating a much more economically friendly cycle.

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WHAT ARE RECYCLED METALS USED FOR?

Scrap metals such as aluminium steel, brass, copper, and iron can be reused repeatedly to create new products.

These new products are used in a variety of ways.

Some are ‘reincarnated’ as other items but some may come back as the same product they started out as.

Steel is found in everyday machinery and many appliances, from car bodies to white goods such as washing machines.

Because there isn’t a limit on the number of times steel can be recycled, it can be used again to make the above items and more.

Your refrigerator may even be made from recycled steel! Recycled steel can create bicycle frames, pipes, train tracks and much more!

Copper mining is costly and uses a lot of energy. It’s found in the structure of most homes and properties and is in high demand due to their recyclable uses.

Copper is versatile and when recycled can be used for anything; from plumbing pipes to guttering and electric wires.

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Here are just a few surprising uses of recycled metals:

• Transport – Recycled metals are a major element in the transport industry, being used in building roads, tracks and even for the vehicles themselves; approximately 25% of the body of a car is made from recycled metal. Aeroplanes use aluminium rather than steel and unbelievably, planes use a large proportion of recycled aluminium (80% of the frame). Train tracks are largely made from reused steel too – which is especially useful because of its increased strength!

• Home Furnishings – Metal furnishings are commonly made from recycled metals. The metal can be melted down into whatever form needed and reused to look brand new. Everything from table tops using large clock faces, chairs formed from car bonnets and chests of drawers made from aeroplane doors!

• Cans and Aerosols – Every year in the UK, around 600 million aerosol cans are used. This is around 10 per person. It’s a good job they can be recycled as they are made from tin-plated steel and aluminium.

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