Recycling of any kind is of huge benefit to the environment. It can be done on a large scale or within the confines of your own home. Scrap metal and other recyclable goods are a valuable commodity. Whilst card, plastic, glass and organic waste can all be reused again or used around the home for compost or packing paper, it's with scrap metal that you can reap a little monetary value. This guide will offer a few ways in which to recycle scrap metal in the home and at the scrap yard to help to make Australia a greener and cleaner place.

Start At Home

Recycling at home is easy; all you need to do is purchase some plastic bins and use them to separate your paper, plastic, card and tins, etc. Keeping these separate will make it easier for the council to collect specific waste types and allow you to gather the metal for sale to add to any other scrap metal piles you may have accumulated. This could come from old bikes, furniture or fencing posts. Either way, it's a great way to make a little money and allow for this precious material to be reused, reducing the amount of toxic waste produced from making metal goods.

Be Careful

Collecting scrap metal can be a dangerous business. Many scrap yards require individuals to wear appropriate safety clothing and so scavenging from these yards is not advised. The metals can contain toxins and there have been instances of radiation poisoning that have caused serious injury or death. There are also large machines that use compressed air to cut and crush metal. In short, stay away from the yards and focus on recycling your own metal. You could even invest in a small trailer and volunteer to collect waste from your friends and neighbors.

Why Do It?

If you're not interested in making money then the environmental benefits are still vast. Not only does recycling metal free up valuable land space in landfill sites, but it also greatly reduces the output of poisonous fumes that can be created when producing metal items. Scrapping metal is very cost-effective as well, removing large portions of the production time which means that the overall cost of the goods is reduced, saving consumers and wholesalers purchasing costs. Steel itself is also one of the strongest building materials produced, making it a valuable commodity for larger construction companies. Recycling scrap metal is all a win-win.