When you have scrap metal that you no longer need, it can be tempting just to toss it. Before you do, however, the team from Metalico Rochester in Rochester, NY, wants to encourage you to think twice. Not only could you earn some cash for the metal you’d otherwise throw away, but bringing it to their metal recycling center could also allow you to reduce your carbon footprint and do Mother Nature a serious favor.

Although many of us don’t think about what happens when we don’t recycle scrap metal, taking a moment to understand the ramifications of just throwing it away could help you see the importance of recycling it instead:  

• It Doesn’t Break Down: It can take aluminum 200-500 years to decompose. In the time it takes metal to break down, it will simply sit in a landfill, taking up space. On the other hand, taking your scrap metal to a facility like Metalico Rochester can allow the same metal to be repurposed quickly and efficiently.

• Landfills Pile Up: Sadly, roughly 70% of metal is reportedly used only once. That means that the majority of metal being produced eventually finds its way into a landfill, instead of being repurposed. The U.S. trashes enough iron and steel to supply the country’s automakers, but instead of being recycled, it’s just collecting space.  
• Pollution Increases: Typically, it requires less energy to repurpose scrap metal than it does to produce new materials. This means that there are fewer emissions produced when you recycle, and resources are reused instead of being wasted. When metal doesn’t get recycled, however, more pollution is generated to make new materials.

Do what’s better for the environment and take your scrap metal to Metalico Rochester to recycle it instead of throwing it away. To find out more, call (585) 436-0713, or visit the scrap yard online.