Second Street Iron & Metal
  • Home
  • About
    • Scrap News
    • Service Areas
  • Services
    • For Individual Clients
    • For Businesses
    • Scrapping Cars: FAQ
  • Pricing
    • Ferrous Metals
    • Non-Ferrous Metals
  • Contact

March 31st, 2022

3/31/2022

2 Comments

 
What’s The Difference Between Ferrous And Non-Ferrous Metals? 

​Recycling scrap metal holds countless benefits for the environment. According to The Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI), recycling scrap metal can reduce greenhouse emissions from over 52 billion tons to just 500 million tons - a huge difference. Recycling also preserves the environment’s natural resources by reusing existing metals rather than mining new raw materials. The good news is that almost every kind of metal can be recycled an infinite amount of times, meaning you can recycle both ferrous and non-ferrous metals!

Besides its environmental benefits, recycling metal also poses numerous economic benefits. The metal recycling industry creates more than 500,000 jobs and generates a tax revenue of over $10 billion across the US yearly. By lowering the cost of producing usable metals, recycling reduces the price of consumer goods such as appliances, automobiles, architectural structures, cutlery, etc. If you wish to help your environment and economy while making some cash along the way, Second Street Iron & Metal is always ready to purchase both ferrous and non-ferrous metals from residents and businesses in the Greater Boston area! 


Ferrous Metals 

Metals can be divided into two major groups: ferrous and non-ferrous. Both groups can be recycled, although the recycling methods may vary. The differentiating property between the two types of metals is that ferrous metals contain iron while non-ferrous metals do not. Examples of ferrous metals include stainless steel, carbon steel, cast iron, and wrought iron.  

Ferrous metals have a higher tensile strength than their non-ferrous counterparts, making them the preferred choice for architectural purposes. Their magnetic properties also make them functional components of electrical and motor appliances. Other uses of ferrous metals are seen in the production of shipping containers, industrial piping, fencing, cookware, railing, tools, etc.  

The major downside to ferrous metals is that their high carbon content makes them vulnerable to rust. The only exceptions are wrought iron and stainless steel. Wrought iron owes its rust resistance to its pure iron content and fibrous structure, while the chromium in stainless steel reacts with oxygen to form a protective “passive” layer that makes it rust-resistant.


Non-Ferrous Metals  

As stated above, non-ferrous metals do not contain iron and are, thus, not magnetic. Since these metals are lighter and more malleable than their ferrous counterparts, non-ferrous metals are the best option for applications that demand low-weight yet durable metals. Although they lack magnetic properties, non-ferrous metals are excellent conductors of electricity and heat. The absence of iron in non-ferrous metals also makes them corrosion-resistant.  

Examples of these metals are aluminum, lead, nickel, tin, gold, silver, platinum, copper, and copper alloys such as bronze and brass. Aluminum is used in manufacturing aircraft parts, pistons, radiators, and food cans. Due to its low resistivity level, copper is the metal of choice for producing electrical cables and batteries. Silver and gold have extensive uses in jewelry, cutlery, and electrical circuit contacts. Non-ferrous metals are also used for roofing, gutters, fixtures and fittings, kitchen utensils, statues, fuels, paints, computer parts, and much more. 


Contact Second Street Iron & Metal!

Both ferrous and non-ferrous metals are indispensable to most industries. However, continuous mining of these metals increases greenhouse gas emissions, depletes natural resources, and causes land pollution. Scrap metal recycling provides a sustainable approach to the production of usable metals in our society!

At Second Street Iron & Metal, we purchase ferrous metals and non-ferrous metals, as well as junk vehicles, for the best prices in the Greater Boston area! Our recycling services are open to businesses, demolition companies, homeowners, and the general public in the Boston region. Contact us today to get started by giving us a call at (617) 387-1188 or by filling out the contact form on our website!

2 Comments

March 09th, 2022

3/9/2022

0 Comments

 
What Happens to Scrap Metal When It's Recycled? 
Scrap metal recycling can be great for you and even better for the environment. Scrapping metal can put some extra cash in your pocket, clean the clutter out of your garage or basement, and help our environment at the same time! Recycling metal is beneficial to our environment because it saves energy and reduces the strain on limited natural resources. While almost everyone knows that metal recycling is beneficial to their wallet and the ecosystem, it's not always clear how the process works. In this article, we'll break down each step of the scrap metal recycling process!

Collection 
The first step of the scrap metal recycling process starts with you! You can find scrap metals in various places: at home, work, your neighbors, and even online. When you bring your scrap metals to a recycling center, you'll get paid for them based on the current market price of the specific types of metals that you've brought in. Once the metals are in our facility, the real recycling process begins!

Sorting
Once scrap metal has been collected, the next step is to sort them into their individual types. If other components are still attached to the metal, such as plastic, wire, or adhesives, the facility workers remove the excess materials. Magnets are then used to differentiate ferrous metals from nonferrous metals and separate the two. The sorting continues as the facility divides the metals by type.

Processing
After the sorting process is complete, the metals need to be processed. This involves compacting the metals and cutting them down into manageable sizes. Next, the small compact pieces are shredded down into thin strips so that they're ready for the next part of the process.

Melting
After the metal is sorted and shredded, the recycling center will begin melting down each individual type of metal. Given that different metals melt at different temperatures, only one kind of metal gets melted at a time. The specific metal may require additional time frames to melt completely, which is why sorting the metals appropriately is so important. 

Purification
The next step of the process is to purify the metals using electricity. When a current passes through a piece of metal, any impure contaminants are liquified. Another process utilizes a magnet for an additional round of separation before the metal is molded, cooled, and solidified.  

Transportation 
The new metals sheets are then transported to manufacturers to create new products. Although the recycling process requires some energy, it is far less than mining for new raw materials. The creation of new products with previously discarded metals is the ideal way to lessen the impact on the planet. A single piece of metal can be recycled an infinite amount of times, which is why it's so important to recycle all the metal that you can! 

Contact Second Street Iron & Metal!
If you're ready to start recycling scrap metal in the Greater Boston area, Second Street Iron & Metal is here for you! Our facility, located in Everett, is in the perfect location to accommodate all of the Greater Boston region! We strive to give you the best price for your scrap metal so that you can help your bank account and the environment. Give us a call at (617) 387-1188 or fill out the contact form on our website, and a member of our team will get back to you as soon as possible!

0 Comments
    Picture

    Categories

    All
    Metal Markets
    Scraping Tips

    Archives

    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    March 2022
    January 2022
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    October 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    December 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    January 2019
    June 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    January 2017
    September 2016
    July 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015


All Rights Reserved to Second Street Iron & Metal Co., Inc. 2017; Web Design M.F.