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Anyone looking to give an old space new life—or anyone who’d simply like to build something new at a lower price—might want to consider reclaimed building materials.

Just about any durable item can be reclaimed and sold affordably

It used to be that when an old building was demolished, all the remaining materials would be sent straight to the dump. However, people began to realize what a waste that was, since many of those leftover materials were still perfectly good.

Individuals and companies began to collect the reusable materials that were of particularly high quality, and then turned around and sold them for a significantly lower cost than brand new materials. Buying reclaimed doesn’t mean you’re settling for lower quality—in many cases, the quality is just as high as anything you could buy new.

Advantages of reclaimed materials

Here are three of the biggest advantages of reclaimed building materials:

• They’re durable. Reclaimed building materials are just as durable and reliable as brand new materials. In fact, many older buildings used hardwoods and other long-lasting materials that are even more durable than a lot of the stuff you find on the market nowadays.
• They’re affordable. In many cases, reclaimed materials will come at a fraction of the cost of buying new.
• They’re environmentally friendly. The environmental cost of a single home or office building can be enormous. All that new lumber, metal, glass, and so on depletes the natural environment.  When you go with reclaimed materials, you’re helping preserve important natural resources.

Reclaimed building materials are a good investment—not only will you save money, you’ll also be helping the environment.  Another way to help the environment—and earn some money in the process—is to bring scrap metal to your Utah metal recyclers. We believe that recycling, in its many forms, is one of the best ways to preserve our resources for future generations.

By Tim Crain.

We at Utah Metal Works are committed to doing our part for the environment and hope you will join us.

Utah Metal Works will be offering 5 cents more per pound for all aluminum cans brought in for recycling on April 22, 2013 to celebrate Earth Day.

Interesting facts about aluminum and aluminum can recycling.

• Discovered in the 1820s, aluminum is the most abundant metal on earth.
• Over 50 percent of the aluminum cans produced are recycled.
• A used aluminum can is recycled and back on the grocery shelf as a new can, in as little as 60 days. That’s closed loop recycling at its finest!
• Aluminum is a durable and sustainable metal: two-thirds of the aluminum ever produced is in use today.
• Every minute of every day, an average of 113,204 aluminum cans are recycled.
• Making new aluminum cans from used cans takes 95 percent less energy and 20 recycled cans can be made with the energy needed to produce one can using virgin ore.
• Recycling one aluminum can saves enough energy to keep a 100-watt bulb burning for almost four hours or run your television for three hours.
• Last year 54 billion cans were recycled saving energy equivalent to 15 million barrels of crude oil – America’s entire gas consumption for one day.
• Tossing away an aluminum can wastes as much energy as pouring out half of that can’s volume of gasoline.
• In 1972, 24,000 metric tons of aluminum used beverage containers (UBCs) were recycled. In 1998, the amount increased to over 879,000 metric tons.
• In 1972, it took about 22 empty, aluminum cans to weigh one pound. Due to advanced technology to use less material and increase durability of aluminum cans, in 2002 it takes about 34 empty aluminum cans to weigh one pound.
• The average employee consumes 2.5 beverages a day while at work.
• The empty aluminum can is worth about 2 cents.

Along with metal recycling, Utah Metal Works has made an investment in Solar Panels which offsets 86% of the electrical load in our North Building.  The approximate energy production of this solar system is 35,121 kilowatt hours per year.  This is equivalent to one of the following:

• Carbon offset 53,301 lbs.
• Removing 4.7 passenger vehicles from the road annually.
• Not consuming 2,715 gallons of gas.
• Planting 621 trees.

Utah Metal Works will continue to do our part in protecting the environment and look forward to doing so with you.

Thank you earth911 for these awesome facts!

Statistics show that Americans produce more waste per household per year than almost any other country. In fact, the average American produces 4.4 pounds of trash a day. If you consider that there are more than 300 million people living in the United States today, you’ll understand why all that waste can be a problem.

The trash we produce takes its toll on the environment. Landfills—particularly those around big cities—are overflowing.

Fortunately, the situation isn’t as dire as it may seem. People are beginning to understand the importance of responsible consumption, and alternative waste management solutions—such as recycling—are becoming more popular.

Small improvements can have a big impact

Recycling is a great way to reduce our impact on the environment. Here are some other ways to reduce your household’s consumption and waste:

• Consider buying used items instead of new ones. When you’re looking to replace your furniture or other large items, check internet classifieds for sellers in your area. If you shop smart, you’ll often be able to find great quality items for considerably less than you’d pay in a store.
• Donate unwanted items that are still in good, usable condition to your local Goodwill or donation center.
• Research local hazardous waste regulations. There are usually special facilities that will either recycle or appropriately dispose of items like batteries, paint, and unused prescription pills.
• Maintain and repair items rather than giving them away. Keeping your possessions in good condition will allow them to last longer. Many items that could easily be repaired are often thrown away.
• Invest in reusable coffee filters, mugs, and lunch containers. Keeping your food in reusable containers rather than disposable baggies and cups can reduce your waste output significantly.

When it comes to reducing your impact on the environment, it’s the small things that make a difference. Scrap metal recycling can also have an extremely positive effect, so if you have any metals lying around, be sure to bring them to your Utah metal recycling experts!

By Tim Crain.

Recycling can be a lot more fun than you think; there are also several materials in your home that you probably didn’t even know are recyclable!

1.      Instead of getting rid of the item all together start a new arts and crafts project. An old mason jar or wine bottle is the perfect vase for some dried flowers.

2.      Old bricks and roof shingles can be recycled. No, that may not be the type that we take here but it is still an option at other locations that deal with materials aside from metal.

3.      Have you ever considered putting up your old tools or VHS tapes on eBay? Even if you don’t want them anymore someone else may. No need to throw them out! After all, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.

4.      Kids will often grow out toys, reduce and reuse by giving them to a local thrift store or charity.

5.      Empty propane tanks are considered scrap metal! (as well as the BBQ it was in) get money for them at places like Utah Metal Works.

6.      Window treatments may start to lose their appeal after time but that doesn’t mean you have to waste the fabric. Use the fabric over to make a pillowcase or table cloth.

7.      Same goes for old jeans. Denim can be used to create a new purse, clothing item, or décor item.

8.      Old ink cartridges can be made to good use at office supply stores. Don’t go through a messy experience trying to throw them out!

9.      So… you dropped your cell phone… again… and it’s kinda dead. There are many stores that take old cell phones no matter what the condition, reuse and recycle!

10.  Shaving cream bottles, bread twist-ties, broken screen doors… there are so many things that are eligible for recycle. Think carefully about what you’re throwing away before you take it out to the trash.

Thanks to public awareness campaigns by the government, environmental advocacy groups, and various other organizations, recycling rates have been consistently rising over the past several decades as more and more people become aware of the benefits of recycling. Of course, there’s still a lot of work to be done, and it’s estimated that billions of tons of material that could be recycled are still being thrown away every year.

More and more towns and cities are increasing their recycling capacities, and companies like your Utah scrap metal recycling professionals are helping spread the message about the importance of recycling.

Here are five interesting facts about the benefits of recycling:

1. The United States produces an enormous amount of waste every year—250 million tons a year, to be precise. It is estimated that the number could be drastically reduced if everyone were to recycle.
2. Enormous amounts of trash that could have been recycled end up in the ocean every year. These improperly disposed of plastic bags and other items are responsible for killing millions of sea creatures every year.
3. Recycling saves energy. When you recycle a single aluminum can, you help save enough energy to power a television for three hours. Now remember that Americans use tens of billions of aluminum cans every year, and imagine how much could be saved if all those cans were recycled.
4. Recycling scrap metal rather than throwing it in the garbage reduces energy consumption drastically and helps ensure that resources will still be available for future generations. In many cases, it will also earn you money.
5. Over the past few decades, recycling rates have gone way up. Most families now recycle at least some of their trash, and recycling diverts billions of pounds of waste from landfills.

Recycling is one of the most important tools we can use to help build a sustainable future. Scrap metal recycling is one of the best kinds of recycling. If you want to earn money while helping create a better and more sustainable future, bring your scrap metal to your Utah scrap metal recyclers!

Landfills around the US are reaching their capacity

The hand-me-down ride on John Deere that your father gave you as a marriage present that turned out to break five years ago is not doing you any justice sitting in the darkest corner of your garage. It may not be worth much to you but to Utah Metal Works this snoring beast is worth more than your second child on a good day.

Why Scrap It?

Here are some reasons why you should load up your good ole John Deere from dad and bring it to Utah Metal Works. Just don’t tell your dad. He can find out on his own.

1) John Deere is an American classic and scrap metal workers are the epitome of the hard working American way that built our country. They go hand in hand.
2) Do you use your lawnmower? No. Do you plan on using it? Well, no. Does your wife hate it? Yes. You should probably get rid of it for the sake of your marriage.
3) Money is always nice.
4) Utah Metal Works will take care of your lawnmower better than anyone else once they melt down all of the metal parts. They will even make sure the metals are separated and sold off to the right people who care about them.
5) Make space in your garage for the saw horse you always wanted so you can get to work on building a tree house for the kids. Do it for the kids.

You Can’t Lose

If you are never going to use your John Deere again give it to Utah Metal Works and let them take care of it. The parts will be used by someone that cares about them and go towards using a lawnmower in ways you never thought possible like uhhhh…racing. Rednecks like to have fun too.

The aluminum and steel that make up your lawn mower are valuable pieces for any scrap yard. You will be making money, making the scrap yard money and helping others by scrapping your John Deere. It is a win, win, win situation.

Scrap metal is melted down at very high temperatures

You probably already know that recycled metals can be reused indefinitely.  Metal doesn’t lose strength when it’s recycled, so it can literally be used over and over again.  So when you take your metal to Utah metal recycling professionals, you’re not just earning extra cash—you’re helping ensure a more sustainable future.

The scrap metal recycling process

You may wonder just what exactly happens to your metal after you take it to the center, and how the recycling process actually works.

Though the exact processes sometimes differ, here is a general outline of how scrap metal recycling works:

1. You take your scrap metal to your favorite metal recycling yard.  The metal is sorted and weighed, and then you are given an on the spot payment.
2. The sorted metal is brought to the smelter or furnace, where it is melted down at very high temperatures (often as high as several thousand degrees Fahrenheit.)   Each different kind of metal goes through a different smelter.
3. Once the metals are melted into liquid form, they are molded into ingots—or small solid metal bars that can later be remolded into usable products.
4. The ingots are sent out to other companies who re-melt them and make them into various products, from food cans to automobiles.

It may sound complex, but after the first step you can leave it to the professionals.  To get paid for your unused and unwanted metal, simply bring your scrap metal to your Utah scrap metal recycling experts.

The liquefied scrap is remolded into ingots and sent off to be reused

We’ve all heard the clichés about recycling—it’s good for the environment, it helps create a sustainable future, etc.  You may wonder how true those claims are, and whether it’s really worthwhile to go through the hassle of recycling.

Well, what they say is true—recycling does have a number of important benefits, both locally and globally.  On top of that, recycling doesn’t even have to be a hassle.  In fact, recycling is one of the easiest ways you can protect the environment and prevent unnecessary waste and pollution.  Once you know which materials can be recycled, it’s simply a matter of separating the waste from the recyclable materials.

There are many good reasons to recycle, but here are five of the most important ones:

1. Recycling reduces waste.  Americans produce hundreds of millions of tons of waste every year.  If everyone were to recycle all their materials that could be recycled, that number would be reduced drastically.
2. It also reduces pollution.  The beverage industry states that it takes many times more energy to create an entirely new aluminum can than it does to make a recycled one.  That statistic holds true for most other forms of recycled materials—recycling reduces energy consumption and environmental pollution.
3. Recycling increases efficiency.  Some types of metals, like aluminum and steel, can be recycled many times—that means your recycled aluminum waste can be reused over and over again, long into the future.
4. Recycling leads to a sustainable future.  For all the reasons stated above, recycling helps ensure that the planet will be safe and clean for future generations.
5. Recycling creates jobs.  Government statistics state that the recycle and reuse process creates more jobs for Americans than the waste management process.

On top of all that, you’ll get money for recycling.  In other words, you’ll get rid of some of that junk cluttering up your property and you’ll get some cold hard cash in return.  Sounds like a deal, doesn’t it?

So what are you waiting for?  Protect the environment and make money by bringing your household scrap to your Utah metal recycling experts.  Start recycling today!

-Tim Crain