Can Metal be Recycled Over and Over?

The idea of recycling is nothing new, but the extent to which materials can be recycled may surprise you. Some materials, like plastic and paper, can only be recycled once or twice before they start to degrade. Others, like metal and glass, can be recycled time and again—as long as users continue putting them in the recycling bin.

A Closer Look at Metal Recycling

Metals are some of the most recyclable materials on earth. They’re among the few materials that don’t degrade each time they are broken down and repurposed into a new product, earning them the title of “infinitely recyclable.” Aluminum, iron, steel, and copper are prime examples, able to be recycled over and over without impacting their quality. In many cases, the time span between placing an aluminum can in the recycling bin and seeing it back on the shelf is less than 60 days.

The Benefits of Infinitely Recyclable Materials

The remarkable ability to be repurposed over and over makes metal and glass the most important materials to recycle. Doing so offers several environmental and economic benefits:

• Resource conservation: Mining new aluminum is energy-intensive and depletes natural bauxite reserves. This is just one example of how diligently recycling metal, glass, and other materials helps conserve natural resources.
• Energy efficiency: Metal recycling involves melting down scrap and reforming it into new products, a process that saves about 95% of the energy required to produce new cans from raw materials.
• Economic benefits: Collecting, sorting, and processing recyclable materials requires workers, thus providing employment opportunities in local communities.
• Reduced landfill waste: Recycling materials, especially those that can be processed infinitely, reduces the volume of waste sent to landfills.
• Lowered industrial pollution: Extracting and refining raw materials leads to soil erosion, water pollution, carbon emissions, and loss of biodiversity. Recycling metal mitigates these impacts by decreasing the demand for raw ore.
• Circular economy: The concept of a circular economy is where products and materials are kept in use for as long as possible. Utilizing infinitely recyclable materials is the key to making this sustainable model a reality.

Challenges and Considerations

While aluminum and steel recycling can be done infinitely, not all metal products are this straightforward to recycle. Complex items that contain a mix of metals or are contaminated with other materials require more sophisticated and costly recycling techniques. In addition, recycling infrastructures and practices vary widely, affecting the efficiency and effectiveness of metal recycling programs around the world.

Choose Okon Recycling for Sustainable Metal Recycling

Okon Recycling operates as a fourth-generation family business based in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. We have been at the forefront of scrap metal recycling since our founding in 1904. We handle local public recycling, national scrap metal recycling, and international recycling projects. Our extensive experience and reach allow us to efficiently manage both large and small projects, keeping millions of pounds of scrap metal out of landfills each year. For more information on how we can help you contribute to a more sustainable future, please contact us at 214-426-6566.