Do you have brass scrap laying around your home or worksite? You might be curious about the recycling process, and that’s what we will tell you all about in this post. In addition to covering how this scrap is recycled, we’ll fill you in about recycling your own metal scrap.
First, let’s begin with a brief overview of brass in general. Brass is an alloy that contains varying amounts of copper or zinc. On the surface, brass is very similar to bronze and is often interchangeable. However, bronze is resistant to corrosion and it has small identifying rings on its surface. Brass also has other advantageous properties, including its bacterial resistance and versatility.
The term “brass” actually encompasses a variety of copper and zinc alloys in different amounts. There’s a good chance you have several products or items around your home or office that includes brass fragment. Some common examples include locks, hinges, zippers, drawer knobs, hose couplings, and electrical sockets. It’s also a good substitute for copper in many cases, including in the use of costume jewelry.
(Speaking of copper, you might want to take a look at this post next: 7 Reasons To Recycle Copper Scrap)
A Brief History of Brass
In relation to costume jewelry, you might be interested to know how the use of this scrap for costume jewelry tends to increase during trying economic times. For example, during World War II, brass jewelry provided a more affordable alternative for jewelry and other products than precious metals like platinum and gold.
Interestingly, the history of brass dates back to the 3rd millennium BC. However, these brass alloys tended to have different compositions than modern brass products. Brass was also prevalent during the early Roman period, including for making coinage.
During the medieval period, after the fall of the Roman Empire, much about the history of brass is unclear. But beyond that period, brass became an increasingly important material utilized in virtually every corner of the planet.
The Process Of Recycling Brass Scrap
Now that we know more about the basics of brass, let’s get back to brass scrap. More specifically, let’s talk about recycling it.
Collection
The first step involves collecting this scrap. If you work in the HVAC industry, contracting, plumbing, car repair, or similar industries, there’s a good chance there is scrap brass laying around your work site. If you are comfortable collecting these products on your own, you can go ahead and do so. However, working with commercial and industrial scrap experts makes the process much easier, quicker, and helps you get the best bang for your buck!
Processing
Powerful machines flatten or crush brash into sheets by taking it to metal recycling centers.
Melting
When the brass has been condensed and flattened, it is then melted into liquid form. Depending on how much brass is being melted, this can take a few minutes or several hours.
Decontamination
Now it’s time for the melted brass to be decontaminated or refined. It can be broken down into its separate compounds, or either compound can be added in greater quantity to alter its composition.
Hardening
Next you can transport and cool the liquified metal. It can be cooled into the shape of its final use. For example, into brass tubes or bars.
Transportation of the Metal Bars
When the brass is hardened into a new form, it’s ready to be shipped and sent off for its new use! Once it has been used, the brass scrap recycling process can begin all over again. You can infinitely recycle brass, like copper scrap. This comes with serious environmental advantages and it also helps keep the cost of brass products lower.
Brass Recycling: Environmental & Economic Advantages
Speaking of the environmental advantages of recycling brass, it uses less energy to repurpose than many other metals. It requires less energy to recycle than aluminum or steel, so it’s no wonder it’s considered one of the most environmentally friendly metals in the world! At the same time, because brass can be repurposed endlessly, this helps keep already-packed landfills from dealing with any additional burden.
There are also a number of economic advantages to recycling brass scrap. For example, it’s much more cost-effective than producing brass from raw materials because it requires less energy and resources to do so. In turn, this also results in more energy cost savings.
When it comes to recycling brass, one of the best things about it is how your trash becomes someone else’s treasure.
Of course, that means it comes with a financial benefit for you too! You might have no idea how much valuable scrap you have on hand waiting to be recycled. Until it is recycled, that means you’re potentially missing out on a lot of money that could be in your pocket. It’s also convenient to recycle brass scrap in bulk. That means you can clean up your work site and get this task off your hand more efficiently than you might think.
Types of Recyclable Brass Scrap
Now that you know all about the advantages of recycling brass scrap as well as how the process works, you might also be curious about the types of recyclable brass scrap you have laying around.
- Yellow Brass Scrap (Honey): This includes brass castings, rod brass, and rolled brass
- New Brass Clippings (Label)
- Mixed Unsweated Auto Radiators (Ocean)
- Aluminium Brass Condenser Tubes (Pallu)
- Manganese Bronze Solid (Parch)
- Composition or red brass (Ebony)
- Brass small arms and rifle shells, clean muffled (Lamb)
- Machinery or Hard Brass Solids (Engel)
- Admiralty Brass Condenser Tubes (Pales)
Recycle Your Brass Scrap with Scrap Gators
Are you ready to dive into the world of brass scrap recycling and enjoy many of the benefits of this practice for yourself? Whether you’re new to recycling brass scrap or just looking for a more effective way to do so, you can trust Scrap Gators for all of your scrap metal recycling needs.
Did you know recycling has been in our family for over 100 years? It’s true picking up scrap metal by horse and carriage in Brooklyn is how we got our start! Today, our long-term relationships within the recycling industry allow us to offer the best prices to our customers for a variety of metal recycling.
Give us a call today at 772-203-7391 to see how we can help with all of your recycling needs.
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