Recycling scrap metal preserves natural resources by reducing the amount of new metal required for industry, business, and household use. That’s why scrap metal is valuable and collecting and recycling can be a profitable entrepreneurial activity.
Scrap metal sources can be found wherever there is human activity. Sgt Scrap pays competitive prices for its scrap metal recycling services in New Jersey, Delaware, southeast Pennsylvania, and parts of New York. Discover where to look for scrap metal in your home and around your community.
What Is Scrap Metal?
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, scrap metal is a worn-out metal product or pieces of metal parts generated from machining and manufacturing. This includes many items, such as auto bodies, wires, household appliances, machinery, radiators, and bearings.
Where Are Scrap Metal Sources?
If you are interested in collecting and recycling scrap metal, you probably can find it right in your community. Here are a few ideas from Sgt. Scrap to get you started.
Neighborhoods
Scrap metal sources are found at every community yard sale. Scout for scrap metal at garage sales, flea markets, estate sales, and when people move out of the neighborhood. There are usually some metal materials left behind, or that can be acquired through purchase or barter, that are appropriate for scrap metal recycling.
To help you begin your search for scrap metal, here are some common sources:
- Bicycles
- Nails
- Paint cans
- Appliances
- Retired grills
- Lawnmower parts
- Toys
- Furniture
- Metal containers
- Wire
If you have apartment complexes in your community, contact the maintenance service to see if you can take scrap metal off their hands.
Repair Shops
Operations that repair cars, boats, electrical appliances, and other machinery generate scrap metal. Owners may not be interested in collecting scrap for recycling, or they may not have the room. The services of a motivated, responsible recycler will be a welcome addition to their business. Trash services often will not take bulky or metal objects. But a knowledgeable recycler can help repair shops keep their work areas clear of clutter while using scrap metal to earn money.
Business Parks, Retail Malls, and Storage Facilities
These retail and office operations tend to create scrap metal waste. And as prime scrap metal source areas, they benefit from partnerships with scrap metal recyclers. Whether it’s retail displays that are refreshed and redecorated regularly, or used, worn-out office furniture for disposal, scrap metal collectors will find what they want.
Storage facilities often are abandoned, and these can also be scrap metal sources. Whether the owners dispose of contents, or they are auctioned off for collectibles, there likely will be leftover metal scrap that nobody wants—except those who collect and recycle scrap metal.
Construction and Demolition Sites
With these kinds of commercial operations, it’s especially important to get permission for any collecting of scrap metal for recycling. But, as rich scrap metal sources, they are excellent opportunities to partner with companies, contractors, plumbers, electricians, heavy equipment operators, and other trade representatives to take scrap metal off their hands and out of their work area. It’ll be one less thing for them to handle on the work site. Be prepared to work in these sometimes dangerous environments, and show your partners that you have adequate gear, know what you are doing, and can work safely on their site.
How to Recycle Scrap Metal
Our friendly, reliable scrap metal yard is one of the best places to sell your scrap metal for recycling. We accept drop-offs of scrap at two locations in New Jersey, and we offer mobile pickups as long as the load weighs at least 500 pounds. The list of metals we buy includes most non-ferrous metals, such as:
We also accept ferrous steel from rotors, drums, complete cars, and cast iron. If you have larger, heavier supplies of scrap metal for recycling, we can pick it up throughout New Jersey, Delaware, southeast Pennsylvania, and parts of New York.
Turn Scrap Metal Into Cash With Sgt. Scrap
Examine possible scrap metal sources in your area. Once you’ve identified likely places, meet with business owners and contractors, contact commercial operations, and make arrangements to collect scrap metal for recycling. If you have questions about the process or need more information about prices or requirements for residential scrap metal pickup or commercial scrap metal recycling, contact us today at Sgt. Scrap. We serve people in New Jersey, Delaware, southeast Pennsylvania, and parts of New York.