Scrap metal recycling collection has become a commonplace pastime throughout Africa. Many people may consider the work to be a waste of time, while others are inquisitive as to why. While gathering these scraps may appear to be a waste of time, recycling has a high economic worth. Metals, unlike many other materials, may be recycled repeatedly without losing their qualities. That is one of the reasons why steel is the most recycled material on the planet. Recycling scrap metal helps to meet a financial incentive as well as an environmental obligation.
What is Scrap metal recycling?
The gathering and processing of recyclable metal resources from end-of-life products and structures so that they can be reintroduced as raw materials for the manufacturing of new items is referred to as scrap metal recycling. However, not all scrap metal can be recycled, although the list of metals that cannot be recycled is extremely limited. It contains radioactive metals like uranium and plutonium, as well as poisonous metals such as mercury.
South Africa was among the countries with the highest metal recycling output in 2022. 72% of beverage cans and aluminum were recycled a remarkable global figure. South Africa also produces more recycled materials than most other countries. Even though South Africa has over 300 recycling enterprises, the predominantly informal market offers numerous chances for entrepreneurs. As the country’s recycling requirements become more stringent, so will the demand for recycling enterprises.
Steel, aluminum, and tin foil are among the most recycled metals. Beverage cans and food tins are other common recycling materials, with the majority of these sold domestically. Getting these materials is not hard. According to a Business Wire study from 2021, South Africa creates up to 108 million tons of rubbish every year, with over 90% of this waste ending up in landfills. The issue is that landfills are expected to be filled in a few years.
The government’s 2020 national waste management strategy gazette provides explicit guidance on how to purchase raw materials for metal product recycling and even trade the finished products. To make things even easier, the producer’s accountability plan holds manufacturers accountable for their products and packaging until they reach the end of their life cycle.
Most recycling companies rely on pickers, and the total revenue from metal was anticipated to be roughly R350 million in 2020. These earnings accounted for only 1.2 percent of total scrap metal sales in South Africa.
Economic and environmental benefits of recycling scrap metal
Scrap metal recycling is very frequent. Recycling metals is a more cost-effective and ecologically friendly approach to getting and using metals than metal production. Furthermore, because metal can tolerate continuous recycling without losing quality, it is a common area for businesses to inspect when doing an environmental trash audit.
1. To protect natural resources: Recycling scrap metal eliminates the requirement to generate new metal. As a result, valuable natural resources such as coal and iron ore utilized in metal production are preserved. It is critical to analyze resources such as coal because its combustion is a major contributor to climate change. Coal accounted for 43% of worldwide greenhouse gas emissions in 2010, and the climate issue has persisted ever since. Scrap metal recycling is an environmental activity and a simple approach to taking corporate responsibility because it consumes less energy while also consuming fewer natural resources.
2. To reduce your company’s carbon footprint: Businesses are increasingly focusing on recycling all raw materials to meet ambitious “zero to landfill” targets. Scrap metal recycling is a more environmentally friendly option than other kinds of disposal since it minimizes emissions and air pollution. You can help your company’s carbon footprint by recycling metals.
Most of all, recycling will assist in reducing pollution in the environment and inspire others to take advantage of metal’s flexible use. A tonne of recycled aluminum prevents nine tonnes of CO2 emissions from entering the atmosphere. A solution for South Africa to save the ecosystem while also boosting its economy through waste recycling.
3. Saving money by lowering production costs: There is no guilt in taking advantage of the financial advantages offered by scrap metal recycling. That is why many people in South Africa make a living by picking up crumbs. Most businesses recycle because it is less expensive, allowing them to save production expenses while also converting this spending into collection charges. Using existing waste metal rather than creating it from scratch is far more cost-effective.
4. Comply with recycling industry norms: The recycling industry is placing higher demands on businesses to recycle as consumers become increasingly concerned about the environment. Companies are obliged to always recycle resources, with metal recycling playing a significant role. Suffice it to say that if you have scrap metal on-site, you should do something about it.
Recycling metals also benefits the economy because the recycling business employs people at trash facilities. Metal products can be challenging to recycle, but the advantages greatly exceed the challenges. Proper separation and quality control before it reaches a metal recycler is critical to extracting all of its worth from metal.
5. To make the optimum use of raw materials: Metals are one of the few basic materials that may be recycled without losing their original qualities. This means that, except for meeting rising demand, there is no compelling motive to generate more metal. Even with expensive metals like aluminum, the recycling process can be performed indefinitely.
Only radioactive and hazardous metals are forbidden from being recycled in scrap metal. There are not many drawbacks to recycling metals, but a total trash management business can assist you with any challenges that arise. Scrap metal recycling facilities will always take a wide range of metals such as steel since operators understand that the worth of metal will not decline, thereby conserving the environment in South Africa.
Overall, scrap metal recycling in South Africa makes a compelling economic and environmental case. The nation stands to benefit from various good consequences if comprehensive recycling policies are implemented.
Scrap metal recycling helps the local economy thrive by offering job opportunities and supporting firms involved in collecting, processing, and distribution. The recycling business can also reduce raw material demand, resulting in cost savings for manufacturers and other metal-dependent industries. Furthermore, the export of processed scrap metal has the potential to produce cash and enhance the country’s trade balance.
