Tips on Recycling Ferrous Metal
Some ferrous metals will be obvious to identify, such as steel cans. Others might not be so easy.
Here’s a few ways to optimize your ferrous metal recycling:
- Use a Magnet: Ever wonder why magnets stick to your refrigerator and other appliances? Iron is attracted to magnets, so use one to search out your ferrous metals. Note: one ferrous metal exception to this rule is stainless steel, which will not be attracted to magnets.
- Collect it as Scrap: Unlike other materials like glass and paper, ferrous metal doesn’t need to be sorted before it’s recycled. All forms of ferrous metal are melted together when they’re recycled, so you should be able to recycle it all in one group.
- Call Ahead for Pricing: Ferrous metal is one of the few materials you can recycle where you’ll get paid for participation, assuming you aren’t recycling it in a curbside program. A simple call to the recycling location will let you know what the buying price is per pound for ferrous metal.
