There is no limit on the number of times you can recycle scrap metal. Unlike plastic or many other materials, metal does not lose its molecular integrity when it is recycled, which means it can be used over and over again, endlessly, providing an extremely efficient resource for the manufacture of products. Recycling centers in Ann Arbor and many other cities strongly discourage and even do not accept metal in landfill bins, but they provide the services of a recycling center bin that accepts small containers or other products made of aluminum or tin.
Larger appliances may also be taken to a recycling center, whether you need to get rid of a lawnmower that no longer works, an old washing machine that can no longer be used, or an air conditioning unit that is sitting silently in the sun. Contact an Ann Arborrecycling center first to see if you should bring your items in or if it is possible to arrange for a pick-up.
Some of the materials an Ann Arbor recycling center will likely accept include:
Steel.
It is estimated that there is so much steel being recycled, usually in the form of containers, that the amount of energy that is conserved by this practice each year could keep the lights on for every resident in Ann Arbor for at least ten years. In the United States alone, more than 350 steel cans are recycled every second.
Iron.
You will likely see or hear the word “ferrous” used at your Ann Arbor recycling center. This is referent to whether or not the material contains iron. It is likely that any recycling center in Ann Arbor will accept ferrous material, but it could be important to call ahead of time, depending on what kind of item you wish to recycle to make sure it will be accepted, especially if you have any doubts. Some recycling centers cannot accept iron or ferrous materials.
Aluminum.
Nearly two-thirds of all the aluminum in the United States is now recycled. A large portion of that figure includes the cans that are used to package soda products. There are nearly 125,000 aluminum cans recycled every minute, and each can conserves enough energy to keep one light bulb burning through an entire morning.
Non-Ferrous.
This is what is left over once you subtract iron and steel alloys from your scrap metals. Recycling non-ferrous metals into sheets that can be used to manufacture new products constitutes a 38 billion dollar industry.
