Iron is an essential part of the manufacturing sector. Due to its durability, it is ideal for recycling and sustainably conscious projects. If you ever wondered what a circular economy is, scrap metal is a significant part of that concept.

Still, you might ask, what is scrap iron used for? You might be surprised how much of your goods are constructed with recycled metal. Keep reading to learn more about the applications for scrap metal.

How Is Metal Recycled?

Using an electric arc furnace, old metal can be made stronger and like new. Copper, stainless steel and aluminum are all reused in this way. Aluminum is precious because it melts at lower temperatures and produces less Co2 emissions. This makes the process cheaper and more sustainable. The melted and reforged metals are used to make tools and building materials that look and function like new.

Scrap metal is even used in the manufacturing of automobiles and aircraft. Using the electric arc furnace described above, old metal can be reused cheaply and quickly for highly demanding industrial work. You probably have appliances or parts in your car manufactured using scrap metal. The process of recycling metal is cheaper than forging new iron.

Finally, scrap metal is also commonly used in artistic works. Professional and amateur welders alike have created beautiful works of art without resorting to newly forged iron. In fact, the metal sculpting community would probably not exist without easy access to recycled metals. Most artists cannot afford, nor would they want to use brand new steel beams in their artistic projects. Part of the appeal of recycled metal art is the sustainable aspect.

Scrap metal has thousands of industrial and artistic uses. Without the ability to reuse metal, our economy would be much weaker, and goods would be much more expensive. As technology improves, more and more metals will be recycled for manufacturing purposes.