The dull grey colour of lead pipes and cables is caused by the oxygen of the air combining with the metal so as to form a very thin film or skin composed of an oxide of lead. Lead is not at all easily corroded or eaten away. Unlike iron and steel, it does not need protection by painting. Underneath the film, lead is a bright, shiny bluish-white metal. When you scrape it you notice how soft lead is. It is this softness that makes it easy to squeeze or roll lead into different shapes.
For winemakers in the Roman Empire, nothing but lead would do. When boiling crushed grapes, Roman vintners insisted on using lead pots or lead-lined copper kettles. “For, in the boiling,” wrote Roman winemaker Columella, “brazen vessels throw off copper rust which has a disagreeable flavour.” Lead’s sweet overtones, by contrast, were thought to add complementary flavours to wine and to food as well. The metal enhanced one-fifth of the 450 recipes in the Roman Apician Cookbook, a collection of first through fifth century recipes attributed to gastrophiles associated with Apicius, the famous Roman gourmet. From the Middle Ages on, people put lead acetate or “sugar of lead” into wine and other foods to make them sweeter. Lead touched many areas of Roman life. It made up pipes and dishes, cosmetics and coins, and paints. Eventually, as a host of mysterious maladies became more common, some Romans began to suspect a connection between the metal and these illnesses. But the culture’s habits never changed, and some historians believe that many among the Roman aristocracy suffered from lead poisoning.
Julius Caesar, for example, managed to father only one child, even though he enjoyed women as much as he enjoyed wine. His successor, Caesar Augustus, was reported to be completely sterile. Some scholars suggest that lead could have been the culprit for the condition of both men and a contributing factor to the fall of the Roman Empire. A form of lead intoxication known as saturnine gout takes its name from ancient Rome. Saturn was a demonic god, a gloomy and sluggish figure who ate his own children. The Romans noticed similarities between symptoms of this disorder and the irritable god, and named the disease after him. Scientists have since learned that while there are similarities between saturnine gout and primary gout, such as elevated blood uric acid levels, these are in fact two distinct diseases that could not have been cured.
Lead was also used widely for fashioning decorative objects. The oldest known lead-containing object made by human hands is a small statue found in Turkey, from 6,500 B.C. Egyptian Pharaohs between 3,000 and 4,000 B.C. used lead to glaze pottery. Lead was useful as well in construction. The Babylonians and the Assyrians used soldered lead sheets to fasten bolts and construct buildings. The Chinese used lead to make coins 4,000 years ago, as did the ancient Greeks and Romans. Early warriors made bullets out of it, and gladiators covered their fists with leaden knuckles.
Lead found new uses in the one of the fifteenth century’s greatest advancements, the printing press, where it was used to produce moveable type. During the same period, stained glass windows held together by lead frames decorated medieval churches, and architects used lead to seal spaces between stone blocks and to frame roof installations.
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In BPL case we would be using the secondary lead which we get from scrap batteries which we have been collecting over the years.
Most of the lead produced comes from secondary sources. Lead scrap includes lead-acid batteries, cable coverings, pipes, sheets and lead coated, or terne bearing, metals. Solder, product waste and dross may also be recovered for its small lead content. Most secondary lead is used in batteries.
To recover lead from a battery, the battery is broken, and the components are classified. The lead containing components are processed in blast furnaces for hard lead or rotary reverberatory furnaces for fine particles. The blast furnace is similar in structure to a cupola furnace used in iron foundries. The furnace is charged with slag, scrap iron, limestone, coke, oxides, dross, and reverberatory slag. The coke is used to melt and reduce the lead. Limestone reacts with impurities and floats to the top. This process also keeps the lead from oxidizing. The molten lead flows from the blast furnace into holding pots. Lead may be mixed with alloys, including antimony, tin, arsenic, copper, and nickel. It is then cast into ingots.
Smelting of Lead helps in putting recycling process, whereby instead of just throwing away scrap batteries, these scrap can be put into good use of getting the ingots and individuals getting some money instead of just discarding their scrap batteries.
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Exposure to excessive levels of lead can cause damage to the brain and kidneys, impair hearing; and lead to numerous other associated problems. On average, each automobile manufactured contains approximately 12 kilograms of lead. Around 96% lead is used in the common lead-acid battery, while the remaining 4% in other applications including wheel balance weights, protective coatings, and vibration dampers.
Recycling Perspectives
Recycling of Lead-Acid Batteries is a profitable business, albeit dangerous, in developing countries. Many developing countries buy used lead-acid batteries (also known as ULABs) from industrialized countries (and the Middle East) in bulk in order to extract lead. ULAB recycling occurs in almost every city in the developing world where ULAB recycling and smelting operations are often located in densely populated urban areas with hardly any pollution control and safety measures for workers.
Usually, ULAB recycling operations release lead-contaminated waste into the environment and natural ecosystems. In fact, Blacksmith Institute estimates that over 12 million people are affected by lead contamination from the processing of Used Lead Acid Batteries in the developing world, with South America, South Asia, and Africa being the most affected regions.
Associated Problems
The problems associated with the recycling of ULABs are well-documented and recognized by the industry and the Basel Convention Secretariat. As much of the informal ULAB recycling is small-scale and difficult to regulate or control, progress is possible only through cleanup, outreach, policy, and education.
For example, Blacksmith’s Lead Poisoning and Car Batteries Project is currently active in eight countries, including Senegal, the Dominican Republic, India, and the Philippines. The Project aims to end widespread lead poisoning from the improper recycling of ULABs, and consists of several different strategies and programs, with the most important priority being the health of children in the surrounding communities.
Lead poisoning, from improper recycling of used batteries, impacts tens of millions of people worldwide.
There is no effective means of tracking shipments of used lead-acid batteries from foreign exporters to recycling plants in the developing world which makes it difficult to trace ULABs going to unauthorized or inadequate facilities.
The Way Forward
An effective method to reduce the hazards posed by transboundary movements of ULABs is to encourage companies that generate used lead batteries to voluntarily stop exporting lead batteries to developing countries. These types of voluntary restrictions on transboundary shipments can help pressure companies involved in recycling lead batteries in developing to improve their environmental performance. It may also help encourage policymakers to close the gaps in both regulations and enforcement capacity.
Another interesting way is to encourage the regeneration of lead-acid batteries which can prolong their life significantly. The advantage of battery regeneration over regular recycling is the reduced carbon footprint incurred by mitigating the collecting, packing, shipping, and smelting of millions of tonnes of batteries and their cases. Most importantly, it takes about 25kWh of energy to remake a 15Kg, 12V 70Ah battery and just 2.1KWh to regenerate it electronically.
]]>At the heart of most electronics, today are rechargeable lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). But their energy storage capacities are not enough for large-scale energy storage systems (ESSs). Lithium-sulfur batteries (LSBs) could be useful in such a scenario due to their higher theoretical energy storage capacity. They could even replace LIBs in other applications like drones, given their lightweight and lower cost.
But the same mechanism that is giving them all this power is keeping them becoming a widespread practical reality. Unlike LIBs, the reaction pathway in LSBs leads to an accumulation of solid lithium sulfide (Li2S6) and liquid lithium polysulfide (LiPS), causing a loss of active material from the sulfur cathode (positively charged electrode) and corrosion of the lithium anode (negatively charged electrode). To improve battery life, scientists have been looking for catalysts that can make this degradation efficiently reversible during use.
In a new study published in ChemSusChem, scientists from Gwangju Institute of Technology (GIST), Korea, report their breakthrough in this endeavor. “While looking for a new electrocatalyst for the LSBs, we recalled a previous study we had performed with cobalt oxalate (CoC2O4) in which we had found that negatively charged ions can easily adsorb on this material’s surface during electrolysis. This motivated us to hypothesize that CoC2O4 would exhibit similar behavior with sulfur in LSBs as well,” explains Prof. Jaeyoung Lee from GIST, who led the study.
To test their hypothesis, the scientists constructed an LSB by adding a layer of CoC2O4 on the sulfur cathode.
Sure enough, observations and analyses revealed that CoC2O4‘s ability to adsorb sulfur allowed the reduction and dissociation of Li2S6 and LiPS. Further, it suppressed the diffusion of LiPS into the electrolyte by adsorbing LiPS on its surface, preventing it from reaching the lithium anode and triggering a self-discharge reaction. These actions together improved sulfur utilization and reduced anode degradation, thereby enhancing the longevity, performance, and energy storage capacity of the battery.
Charged by these findings, Prof. Lee envisions an electronic future governed by LSBs, which LIBs cannot realize. “LSBs can enable efficient electric transportation such as in unmanned aircrafts, electric buses, trucks and locomotives, in addition to large-scale energy storage devices,” he observes. “We hope that our findings can get LSBs one step closer to commercialization for these purposes.”
Perhaps, it’s only a matter of time before lithium-sulfur batteries power the world.
]]>The research team has been working to develop a long-lasting electric vehicle battery that can be charged in 10 minutes.
“Battery technology is important for any type of electric powertrain. By understanding the fundamental reactions that occur within the battery we can extend its life, enable faster charging and ultimately design better battery materials. We look forward to building on this work through future experiments to achieve lower-cost, better-performing batteries,” said Patrick Herring, a senior scientist of Toyota Research Institute.
Earlier studies used more conventional machine learning forms to accelerate battery testing and find out the best charging method. Though the studies made major progress in determining battery lifetime, they did not reveal much about the science behind why a few batteries last longer than the others.
The current research teaches machines how to learn a new type of failure mechanism to design better and safer fast-charging batteries. In general, fast charging stresses and damages the battery. Better practices would help battery technology and fight climate change, the team said. Further, this approach can be used for developing grid-scale battery systems for producing wind and solar electricity.
The team was able to optimize the fast charging protocol for lithium-ion batteries within a month using machine learning. Without ML, this would usually take two years. “At the end of the day, we see our job as accelerating the pace of battery R&D. Whether it’s discovering new chemistry or finding a way to make a safer battery, it’s all very time-consuming. We’re trying to save time,” said Will Chueh, an associate professor at Stanford University, who also led the study.
For this experiment, the team took a closer look at the Lithium ions movement between the cathode and anode — made of nano-sized grains lumped together as particles — during charging and discharging. In particular, the behavior of cathode particles, comprising nickel, manganese, and cobalt (NMC), were observed in detail. NMC is the most widely used material in electric vehicle batteries. The particles absorb lithium ions when the battery is discharging and release them when the battery is charging.
The team got an overall look at the particles when the battery was being fast charged using X-rays from SLAC’s Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource. The same particles were later examined with scanning X-ray transmission microscopy, which focuses on individual particles. The data obtained from these experiments; information from mathematical models on fast charging; and physics and chemistry equations were used in the scientific machine learning algorithm. The team said this is the first time scientific machine learning has been used in battery technology.
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Generally, there are two types of Lead-acid storage batteries, based on their method of construction Flooded or Sealed. Flooded (or wet) Lead-acid batteries are those where the electrodes/plates are immersed in electrolytes. Sealed Lead-acid or valve-regulated Lead-acid (VRLA) battery where the electrolyte is immobilized. All Lead-acid batteries produce hydrogen and oxygen gas (gassing) at the electrodes during charging through a process called electrolysis. These gases are allowed to escape a flooded cell, however, the sealed cell is constructed so that the gases are contained and recombined.
The grid structure in both batteries is made from a Lead alloy. A pure Lead grid structure is not strong enough & therefore other metals like antimony, calcium, tin, and selenium in small quantities are alloyed for added strength and improved electrical properties.
The electrolyte in a Lead-acid battery is a dilute solution of sulfuric acid (H2SO4). The negative electrode of a fully charged battery is composed of sponge lead (Pb) and the positive electrode is composed of Lead dioxide (PbO). The separator is used to electrically isolate the positive and negative electrodes.
The typical Lead-acid battery comprises of: metal grids, electrode paste, Sulphuric acid, connectors and poles of Lead alloy, and grid separators made up of PVC. The battery components are contained in corrosion and heat-resistant housing usually composed of plastic (polycarbonate, polypropylene, or polystyrene).
| Component | [wt.-%] |
| Lead (alloy) components (grid, poles, …) | 25 – 30 |
| Electrode paste (fine particles of Lead oxide and Lead sulphate) | 35 – 45 |
| Sulphuric acid (10 – 20 % H2SO4) | 10 – 15 |
| Polypropylene | 5 – 8 |
| Other plastics (PVC, PE, etc.) | 4 – 7 |
| Ebonite | 1 – 3 |
| Other materials (glass, …) | < 0.5 |
| Table: Composition of Typical Lead-Acid Battery Scrap | |
In the past, grids were mainly made from antimony-Lead alloys, but new trends show an increase in the usage of calcium-Lead alloys. The electrode paste of used batteries is a mixture of Lead sulfate and Lead oxide. The composition of typical battery scrap material is given in Table.
Drained Lead Acid Battery Scrap shall consist of whole drained lead/acid batteries. May contain plastic or rubber cases but may not contain wooden, metal, or glass cases. Similar to ISRI code RAINS.
This is the most preferred type of raw material for Lead recyclers/smelters or recycling/smelting Industries. We provide Rotary-based Smelting plants for processing such raw material with equipment & machines for handling & separation of Lead.
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It has been found that within the U.S alone the recycling and reuse industry employs 1.1 million people, has a payroll of $37 billion, and $236 billion in gross annual sales. There has also been a study that shows that an additional 1.4 million jobs are supported by the recycling and reuse industry. Looking at these figures tells us that recycling has an enormous impact on society and our economy. If the U.S alone can create that many jobs from recycling it go to show that recycling is worth the time as not only does it create an enormous profit it also benefits the environment.
Recycling metal is vastly cheaper than mining ore and smelting it into useable metals as the mining and smelting have already been done the metal is simply melted down and reshaped. Due to the process being much shorter, less money is used. This money can be spent on other parts of the economy which in an ideal world would lead to a reduction in tax and a higher rate of pay at minimum wage across the nation.
The more materials that we decide to recycle, the more jobs that will be created in accordance with the demands put upon the recycling and reuse industry. If the number of jobs to be created was increased, we would be producing more money which would again allow us to create more jobs. The potential that the recycling industry poses is endless but the process of recycling isn’t easy enough which discourages society from even attempting to recycle.
If enough materials were recycled we would be able to spend less money on importation. Spending less money on importation would cause a drop in transport prices due to less fuel being used in the transportation process.
Another reason why recycling is of benefit to the economy is due to the fact that waste that we just throw away often finds its way to a landfill site. These landfill sites can take up a lot of room, the room which could have been used for more factories or housing estates. If the rubbish isn’t taken to a landfill site it is instead burned to produce energy but keeping the incinerators going also consumed a great deal of energy.
If you’d like to know more about conserving the environment through recycling or how the economy is supported through recycling you can enquire at your local neighborhood watch meeting. For more information on recycling metal and advice on where to sell your scrap get in touch with us at bplnigeria.com
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To reduce their dependence on the import of key materials from other countries, many companies have decided to construct their own facilities for the recycling of batteries. Existing recycling methods are based on chemical extraction processes tailored for single, specific elements (mainly, lithium and cobalt). The need of the hour is a new technology/solution that will help to overcome the challenge of having separate extraction processes for various elements.
Given the challenges battery disposal presents, recycling works as an opportunity to increase profit margins and decrease footprint, which will act as additional benefits for stakeholders. Battery manufacturers are working on a unified design that will be easy to dismantle; information can also be shared about battery controlling systems’ interfaces and communication protocol.
Collaborations between private and public entities will become an important strategy for effective advanced vehicle battery recycling. Innovative business models such as the Tesla-Umicore partnership create arrangements that are as good for the company as they are for the community; they also demonstrate how a recycling system can be both profitable and environmentally sound.
Supportive regulations that focus on the recycling of Li-ion batteries will alleviate material scarcity, lower material costs, and reduce energy usage, emission, and mining-related impacts. Robust investments in collection and recycling infrastructure and technology for new-generation vehicle batteries, along with effective regulations, will promote higher collection and recycling rates for Li-ion batteries.
]]>With these differences in chemistry come differences in performance and cost. While both lithium-ion and lead-acid battery options can be effective storage solutions, here’s how they stack up when compared head to head in key categories:
| LITHIUM-ION | LEAD ACID | |
| Cost | X | |
| Capacity | X | |
| Depth of discharge | X | |
| Efficiency | X | |
| Lifespan | X |
In most cases, lithium-ion battery technology is superior to lead-acid due to its reliability and efficiency, among other attributes. However, in cases of small off-grid storage systems that aren’t used regularly, less expensive lead-acid battery options can be preferable.
Lithium-ion and lead-acid batteries can both store energy effectively, but each has unique advantages and drawbacks. Here are some important comparison points to consider when deciding on a battery type:
The one category in which lead-acid batteries seemingly outperform lithium-ion options is in their cost. A lead-acid battery system may cost hundreds or thousands of dollars less than a similarly-sized lithium-ion setup – lithium-ion batteries currently cost anywhere from $5,000 to $15,000 including installation, and this range can go higher or lower depending on the size of system you need.
While lead-acid batteries typically have lower purchase and installation costs compared to lithium-ion options, the lifetime value of a lithium-ion battery evens the scales. Below, we’ll outline other important features of each battery type to consider, and explain why these factors contribute to an overall higher value for lithium-ion battery systems.
A battery’s capacity is a measure of how much energy can be stored (and eventually discharged) by the battery. While capacity numbers vary between battery models and manufacturers, lithium-ion battery technology has been well-proven to have a significantly higher energy density than lead-acid batteries. This means that more energy can be stored in a lithium-ion battery using the same physical space. Because you can store more energy with lithium-ion technology, you can discharge more energy, thus power more appliances for longer periods of time.
A battery’s depth of discharge is the percentage of the battery that can be safely drained of energy without damaging the battery. While it is normal to use 85 percent or more of a lithium-ion battery’s total capacity in a single cycle, lead-acid batteries should not be discharged past roughly 50 percent, as doing so negatively impacts the lifetime of the battery. The superior depth of discharge possible with lithium-ion technology means that lithium-ion batteries have an even higher effective capacity than lead-acid options, especially considering the higher energy density in lithium-ion technology mentioned above.
Just like solar panel efficiency, battery efficiency is an important metric to consider when comparing different options. Most lithium-ion batteries are 95 percent efficient or more, meaning that 95 percent or more of the energy stored in a lithium-ion battery is actually able to be used. Conversely, lead-acid batteries see efficiencies closer to 80 to 85 percent. Higher efficiency batteries charge faster, and similarly to the depth of discharge, improved efficiency means a higher effective battery capacity.
Batteries are also similar to solar panels in that they degrade over time and become less effective as they age. Discharging a battery to power your home or appliances and then recharging it with solar energy or the grid counts as one “cycle”. The numbers vary from study to study, but lithium-ion batteries generally last for several times the number of cycles as lead-acid batteries, leading to a longer effective lifespan for lithium-ion products.
If you need a battery backup system, both lead-acid and lithium-ion batteries can be effective options. However, it’s usually the right decision to install a lithium-ion battery given the many advantages of the technology – longer lifetime, higher efficiencies, and higher energy density. Despite having higher upfront costs, lithium-ion batteries are usually more valuable than lead-acid options.
One case where lead-acid batteries may be the better decision is in a scenario with an off-grid solar installation that isn’t used very frequently. For example, keeping a lead-acid battery on a boat or RV as a backup power source that is only used every month or so is a less expensive option than lithium-ion, and due to the lower usage rate, you’ll avoid many of the drawbacks of lead-acid technology, such as their shorter lifespan.
With any large purchase like solar and batteries (paired or separately), you want to consider your options. You can sign up on the EnergySage Marketplace to receive turnkey quotes for solar installation from pre-screened local solar installers. If battery storage is something you’re interested in pairing with your system, we recommend adding a note in your account preferences specifying you’re interested in pricing and information about batteries. Even if a solar installer doesn’t install batteries themselves, they can design a solar panel system so that you can
]]>Across the United States, the concept of “going green” has progressed far beyond simply being a catchy slogan. Businesses are quickly taking steps to become more environmentally-friendly in ways that go far beyond trying to convince customers passionate about the environment to continue shopping with them.
Going green might sound like a fad or trend, but the benefits of recycling metals have its positive implications for the workplace. Such positive implications are the incorporation of a healthy environment for employees, the reduction of unnecessary waste, and recognizing that businesses can set an example and lead the way on social change.
And that’s true as well when it comes to businesses doing something else: reducing waste.
Going green can improve your company’s overall efficiency. Reducing unnecessary waste is a great way to reduce a company’s operating costs, while investments in the recycling of unwanted items is a terrific way to contribute to the environment. A fast-growing number of businesses are doing just that.
In fact, at a time when eco-consciousness is rising globally, industry analysts now believe recycling will play an important role in promoting “green awareness” trends in the future.
That’s because as more and more businesses start recognizing the value of adopting environmentally-friendly measures as part of their corporate culture, it helps promote the global trend toward more recycling.
That’s particularly true in countries experiencing rapid urbanization, but it’s also true in the heavily industrialized United States, where steel tariffs imposed by China on American imports have increased the need to use recycled scrap instead.
And it may be time as well for the United States government to recognize the need to invest in scrap recycling, and the role that recycling plays in a booming economy.
Considering that most people think of recycling as dealing primarily with trash; it’s become increasingly clear it’s also a way to protect our environment. There’s obviously more economic benefits of recycling metals than just the financial incentive. The scrap metal recycling industry is a great example. The scrap metal recycling industry continues to grow in part because there’s a huge market for its end product: a better environment.
Recycling scrap keeps these metals out of landfills, where the toxins within them pose serious risks to the soil and water. But scrap recycling also has a lot to do with preserving natural resources and reducing our energy use as well.
A scrap metal recycling plant, for example, uses considerably less energy than extracting metals from their ore or raw state to make new metals.
We also know there’s a finite supply of iron ore deposits and other basic minerals for steel production. Continuing to depend on raw materials will eventually hurt steel and other plants that overly rely on those metals and have not tapped into recycled metals as an alternative.
In fact, in more than a few nations, the steel sector is now being sustained through the recycling of scrap steel obtained from municipal solid wastes. The use of scrap in steel production, for example, has become an integral part of the steelmaking industry.
And that’s a key reason why the scrap metal recycling industry is seen today as a trending business with plenty of growth potential in the future. As people become more eco-conscious and the government implements new environmental protections, the recycling industry seems certain to grow simultaneously.
And that presents an avenue for smart entrepreneurs to capitalize on this industry by investing in it.
The question is, do enough businesses and consumers recognize how scrap metal recycling can play a key role in both environmental protection and economic growth as well.
For the most part, the U.S. government has relied on state and local governments to handle all forms of waste management, and that includes recycling.
Efforts to legislate minimum national recycling standards have never made it out of Congress, in part because of geographic differences. The biggest call for federal assistance on waste management usually comes from densely populated states with less room to store trash, and with a strong need for proven alternatives like recycling.
Less populous states with a lot of extra land for landfills are not interested in federal mandates on recycling.
In fact, the first federal law to deal with solid waste management was the 1965 Solid Waste Disposal Act, which was part of the first Clean Air Act. But it made no mention of recycling.
Then, in 1976, Congress approved the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, requiring the Environmental Protection Agency to establish guidelines for solid waste disposal and regulations for hazardous waste management. Again, it barely mentioned recycling, except to mandate an increase in federal purchases of products made with recycled content.
The EPA would later publish manuals on how to implement curbside recycling programs, although it left states needing to secure the funding for it on their own.
The shift toward more recycling began in the 1980s, when states like Massachusetts, Rhode Island and New Jersey became the early pioneers in the development of curbside recycling programs, followed by the introduction of “bottle bill” laws to encourage recycling of beer and soft drink containers.
Today, the EPA estimates that Americans recycle more than 30 percent of the waste they generate each year, triple the figures during the 1980s.
But while many Americans understand and appreciate the importance of recycling plastics, cans, bottles and newspapers, there’s still plenty of educating to do about the need for consumers, businesses and municipal governments alike to join in boosting recycling rates for scrap metal.
First, the need is economic. A growing number of manufacturers today rely heavily on scrap for their production lines. Using recycled scrap is considerably more cost effective than obtaining new metals, and metals are a commodity that can be recycled repeatedly.
In a booming economy, with heavy public and private sector investments in new infrastructure projects, commercial and residential buildings, and consumer goods being made with metals, recycled scrap is a valuable commodity.
The fast-growing scrap recycling industry has created over 450,000 jobs and added millions in tax revenue – up to $10 billion for state governments. Recycling companies are making a bigger and bigger contribution to the economy these days, and they’re expected to continue creating job opportunities, both directly and indirectly.
But beyond the economic benefits, more and more companies are turning to recycle because of the green credentials this adds to their company’s image and reputation.
Scrap metal recycling is the process of taking unwanted metals and re-manufacturing or reproducing them for new products. Instead of extracting minerals and raw materials, metals from old cars, used appliances, leftover scrap from construction sites and many other sources – what we would otherwise presume to be junk – gets recycled and resold.
It’s become a thriving business across the globe today because more and more manufacturers need their products. Manufacturing so many products without recycled scrap would be far costlier, and considerably less friendly to our environment.
Natural resources conservation gets promoted each time we turn to scrap recycling rather than mining for virgin ore, and recycling is a proven way to cut down on the pollution and greenhouse gas emissions that the mining process releases.
Unfortunately, far too much scrap continues to end up in landfills. That’s one reason why both the state and federal governments have a future role to play in helping to raise awareness of the clear economic and environmental benefits of scrap recycling.
The federal government could also provide incentives, possibly in the form of tax breaks, for investments in new technologies that make the industry even cleaner and more environmentally beneficial for us all.
And there’s no doubt about it: this industry is certain to grow in an era of accelerated urbanization and industrialization, and growth in infrastructural activities. These are global trends that show no sign of slowing down anytime soon.
In fact, by 2020, industry analysts say the scrap metal recycling industry is projected to grow to $406 billion U.S. dollars, thanks to the rapidly increasing need for metal products.
A lot of other factors are driving the growth in this industry. Rising incomes and the spending capacity of people in developing economies is one of them. Another is the fact that industries in need of metals are also growing: building and construction trades, metal fabrication, electronics, medical and health care equipment, automotive, and packaging are just some of the industries helping to drive the growth of the Metal Recycling Market.
In the United States, there are laws, and often strict ones, pertaining to waste management. But there are not as many laws pertaining to the need for scrap recycling. Still, public awareness about the need for efficient use of our natural resources, combined with the growing demand for recycled metals, may start changing that.
It’s also a strong motivation for public and private investment in the future of scrap recycling, with an eye on new technologies within the recycling industry. Making the processing of new metal for manufacturing more sophisticated will help us address serious environmental challenges, and it’s why we can all celebrate going green.
The economic benefits of recycling metals is increasing day by day. As our global economy keeps getting stronger, scrap recycling remains a fast-growing industry at a time when manufacturers have come to rely on recycled scrap to reduce costs when they manufacture new products.
And we all benefit from a healthier environment when we keep waste scrap out of our landfills.
Now we need to increase recycling rates for scrap metal, by encouraging consumers and businesses alike to take all their scrap to an experienced and proven recycling firm like GLE Scrap Metal.
As a premier scrap metal and electronics recycler, GLE Scrap Metal performs environmentally-friendly processing and recycling of all base and precious metals. Family owned and operated, the scrap metal you bring to GLE will be processed and supplied to global end-users to be transformed into new products.
Call GLE Scrap Metal today at 855-SCRAP-88 to request a quote.
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