The benefits of using Scrap Metal We come across metal every single hour of our daily lives here in Dubai. Whether we are cooking, taking part in a sporting activity, travelling to work, or even sitting at our desks at work and making our way through the daily grind; we always encounter metals in some form or another. Ever wondered where all of this metal goes or how is it discarded when it cannot be used anymore? Most of it ends up in the many metal scrap yards in Dubai, after which it goes to the scrap metal traders who will segregate, process and pack these metals into various lots; which are then, sold to manufacturers who have use for them. Often referred to as ‘scrap metal’, such metal is a lot cheaper when compared to virgin metal of a similar quality. Scrap metal is not cheaper because it is of a lower quality, but because it is cheaper to obtain compared to virgin sources of say for example, aluminium which needs to be extracted, processed and then converted into the final raw product that manufacturers end up using. The scrap metal trading industry is a billion dollar industry across the globe that manages to satiate the needs of the manufacturing sector to some extent and helps them deliver greener products at the consumer end. According to research conducted by the US Environmental Protection Agency, recycling scrap metals can be quite beneficial to the environment. Using recycled scrap metal in place of virgin iron ore can yield: • • • •
75% savings in energy 90% savings in raw materials used 86% reduction in air pollution 40% reduction in water use
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76% reduction in water pollution 97% reduction in mining wastes
Every tonne of new steel made from scrap steel saves: • • •
1,115 kg of iron ore 625kg of coal 53kg of limestone
Energy savings from other metals include: • • • •
Aluminium savings of 95% energy Copper savings of 85% energy Lead savings of 65% energy Zinc savings of 60% energy
As mentioned at the beginning of this article, it is quite common that one may come across these metals on a daily basis, albeit in a different form. The lower price of scrap metals has seen their market adoption growing at staggering rate. Moreover, manufacturers can sell their products as being almost as much as 50% greener than virgin ore or other non-recyclable materials. Consumer tastes have also changed where plastic finishes are now considered to be cheap- looking compared to a brushed metal finish which appears to be a lot more modern and green. Consumers have also grown conscious about the environment when they make their purchases and this behaviour is prevalent at greater levels in third world countries which often compete with second world countries in terms of purchasing power. The use of scrap metal in all aspects of our lives can only be left to manufacturers and the consumer demands that drive them. Being the greener option is certainly the better choice and will take you as manufacturer to better places.