Environmental protection is vital and we all have to do our part in reducing our ecological footprint while building a better world for the next generation . One key way of reducing our ecological footprint is by recycling scrap metal construction and demolition materials. When a building is demolished it may seem like the remaining rubble is nothing but a heap of trash, however, resourceful contractors and business owners actually see potential. Be it monetary savings achieved from reduced waste and transportation fees, or simply protecting the environment by reducing the waste sent to our overflowing landfills, it is an easy decision to begin recycling scrap metal.

Which Metals Can be Recycled?

Steel

Steel is the most common metal material used in building structures such as warehouses, skyscrapers, high-rise apartment buildings, and bridges. It’s no surprise steel byproducts are the most common metal material recycled and here are the most common examples:

  • Steel Girders
  • Support Beams
  • Trusses
  • Pilings
  • Rebar
  • Conduit (sometimes Aluminum)

Copper

Considering the average home contains about 439 pounds of copper pipe and wiring, imagine how much a commercial building or warehouse uses. Like steel, when copper is recycled it retains its strength and remains in high demand. Interestingly, most local building codes require new materials to be used, so there’s a plentiful amount of copper pipe/wiring that cannot be reused and should be recycled. Most common forms of copper include:

  • Building Wire
  • Plumbing Tubes
  • Fittings
  • Valves

Why Recycling Construction and Demolition Materials is Beneficial for Your Company

The benefits of recycling can be broken down into two main categories, financial and environmental:

  • Financial Benefit: Whether you run a construction company or are simply renovating your own home, who doesn’t enjoy saving money? Throwing away scrap metal and other materials comes with significant costs for transportation and landfill fees. Avoiding the landfill and recycling these materials will lead to significantly reduced costs.

 

  • Environmental Benefit: Recycling has vast benefits to our environment. Specific to recycling construction and demolition materials, energy and emissions stemming from the creation of new materials are reduced. That coupled with landfill space saved and reduced greenhouse gas emissions make it an obvious choice.

Here are the top 5 reasons you should consider recycling scrap metal from your construction and demolition site:

  1. Metal mining is not a renewable resource. There is not an unlimited supply and it does not replenish itself. Recycling metal keeps the demand for new material low and is also a factor in lowering the cost of metal. Recycling a ton of steel conserves 2500 lbs. of iron ore, 1400 lbs. of coal and 120 lbs. of limestone.
  2. By choosing scrap metal recycling there is profit to be gained from selling scrap metal. The metal found in buildings, including but not limited to copper wiring and pipes, can be extremely valuable. If you are not recycling your scrap metal with a licensed metal dealer such as Cozzi Recycling, you could be missing out on significant financial gain.
  3. Construction companies that recycle materials have a competitive edge in the marketplace due to the increased public and global interest in companies that are building in an environmentally conscious manner. Construction companies who consistently recycle can earn LEED certifications, which boost their environmental ratings and showcase their green initiatives as a key differentiator when compared to other companies.
  4. When you recycle construction and demolition materials you are helping reduce both your carbon and ecological footprint by saving energy. By recycling your salvageable materials, you are conserving large amounts of energy by decreasing the consumption of natural resources that would have been utilized to produce new materials. Recycling 1 lbs. of steel, saves enough energy to power a household lightbulb for 26 hours.
  5. In the U.S. we have a serious trash problem. There are currently 2,627 active landfills being filled each day as well as 10,000 landfills that are no longer in use and taking up usable land space and emitting harmful gases into the atmosphere. By choosing to recycle your scrap metal, you are preventing the continued filling of landfills, helping to preserve land and you are reducing methane emissions.

How Cozzi Recycling Can Help You

Cozzi Recycling is fully equipped to both remove and process all types and sizes of scrap metal from your job site.

Many large contractors own their own truck fleet and have the ability to deliver materials to our conveniently located and fully paved scrap yard, where the material will be classified, weighed and processed. Alternatively, if you need help with storing and transporting our fleet is ready for you. If you need job site solutions for storing scrap material while you are finishing up your job, one of our many demolition containers may be right for you.

Let us do all the work while you enjoy the benefit of hassle-free scrap metal recycling and reduced demolition costs. We offer some of the most competitive rates for ferrous and nonferrous materials alike.

If you have unwanted metal and construction materials, we are here to help you.