Safe And Legal Disposal Of Metal Items You Cannot Sell For Scrap

Recycling metal is the right thing to do for the earth, and it is a good thing for your pocketbook as well because scrap metal companies will pay you for your unwanted metal.

There are some metal items which require special handling in the secondary metal processing system, they are:

Fuel Cylinders, Kegs, and Aerosol Cans

While fuel cylinders, kegs, and aerosol cans can be recycled for their metal, they need to be completely empty before you can take them to your local recycling center. If this type of container is recycled without being empty, then it can be a health hazard for the recycling center's workers. 

You should use all fuel in cylinders, drain all kegs of leftover beer, and empty aerosol cans before you recycle them.

Excessive Amounts of Copper Pipe or Wire

Due to the high market price for copper metal, many communities have a serious problem with thieves stealing copper pipe and copper wire from construction sites and empty homes. For this reason, many areas now have regulations about how much copper you can recycle at one time without raising suspicion about its origin.

When you take copper to your local scrap metal recycling center, they will require you to show them a copy of valid ID and state where the copper metal originated. If you have an excessive amount of copper, then you will need to make special arrangements to recycle it.

Railroad Iron or Metal Signs

If you are going to attempt to recycle items from:

• railroad lines
• highways
• national parks

such as railroad ties or metal signs, then you need to be prepared to prove that you have legal ownership of the items. For example, if you purchased some scrap signs from your local town's yearly equipment auction, then you should have a receipt for their purchase. Without proof of ownership, this type of item may be considered to be stolen and could land you in legal trouble.

If you do not have proof of ownership, you should contact the owner of the land where the items were found and ask what they would like you to do with their property.

Live Ammunition

While the brass shell casings of ammunition are recyclable, live ammunition is not an item that can be recycled, as it poses a lethal threat to recycling center staff. However, once the ammo has been fired, then the brass shell casings can be recycled with other brass items.

If you have unspent ammunition to dispose of, you can take it to your local firing range or local police department.

Final Thoughts

Recycling metal is always the right thing to do. With the above information, you now know how to dispose of some challenging metal items. If you have further questions about metal recycling, then you should contact your local recycling center (such as Full Circle Recycling) for more information.