Scrap Aluminum Recycling in Austin

Easy Aluminum Recycling in Austin

Aluminum surrounds us, often in the roofs over our heads to the ground beneath our feet. It is the most common metal found within the Earth’s crust, and it may be the first metal you think of when it comes to recycling. In fact, because it is completely recyclable, almost 75 percent of the aluminum ever mined is still in use today.

Aluminum’s abundance and versatility make aluminum a popular material for a variety of products, from cooking pans to airplanes. Because there is a constant need for it, the scrap value of aluminum is fairly steady. At Gardner Metal Recycling, we offer convenient scrap metal recycling in Austin.

Where Does Aluminum Come From?

Just because it’s super common today does not mean that aluminum has a long presence in human history. In fact, aluminum is actually quite rare in its native form. While the chemical compound alum has been used for dyeing fabrics since ancient times and was a widely valued commodity in the Middle Ages, the scientific discovery of aluminum as we know it today was not announced until the 19th-century. However, it did not take long for the most efficient process for producing aluminum to be developed, and the rest is history!

Today, aluminum is found in smartphones, tablets, laptops, and flat screen TVs in order to provide a sleek appearance without the weight of past gadgets. Most Apple products are made of aluminum, as are a number of other brands’ products.

Many cookware products are made of aluminum, including one of the more popular varieties of pots and pans known as hard anodized aluminum. The anodization process keeps the aluminum from reacting with acidic foods and provides a durable, smooth surface that conducts heat well while providing a relatively inexpensive option.

Where Is Scrap Aluminum Found?

Aluminum is so prevalent in household containers that almost a dozen states have beverage container deposit laws, sometimes called bottle bills, that are designed to reduce waste and collect aluminum recycling. Recycled aluminum cans take about 60 days to go from your recycling bin to the grocery store, which is not a bad journey considering it would take 500 years for them to oxidize naturally in a landfill. In addition to the environmental benefits, Texas individuals and businesses alike are incentivized to recycle aluminum by working with a scrap metal recycling facility to dispose of their waste and earn hard cash.

Good for more than soda cans, aluminum is a non-corrosive, strong and lightweight material, making it a go-to metal for everything from siding, automotive parts, aeronautic equipment and sporting goods. Because aluminum is such a strong conductor of electricity, it is very useful for technology applications, power lines, consumer electronics, and more. Its lightweight composition and flexibility makes it valuable for aircraft, spacecraft, and auto parts, too.

You can even find scrap aluminum in the construction industry in the form of window frames, door frames, wiring, hardware, HVAC ducts, and roofing materials. The Empire State Building was the first structure to have a significant amount of aluminum included in its construction. Ever since, bridges, buildings, and other feats of architecture have used aluminum for its resistance to corrosion and ability to provide creative freedom thanks to its malleability and thermal efficiency.

Many household appliances and industrial components are not made exclusively of aluminum but instead contain parts that are made of aluminum, which means that they will need to be taken apart so that the metals can be sorted. Working with a full-service recycler like Gardner is one way to make sure you get the most bang for your buck.

How Do I Get the Best Aluminum Scrap Price?

Like all metal markets, aluminum recycling prices fluctuate with shifts in supply and demand. Over the last year, recycled aluminum prices have increased—most likely because of speculation over supply chain problems.

To get the best prices for your aluminum products and scrap, separate your aluminum from aluminum alloys and other metals like iron or copper. You should also make sure to remove rubber, plastic and other materials from your aluminum.

If you are the type who likes to strike while it’s hot, and since aluminum recycling prices near you may be different from one day to the next, you should call Gardner’s aluminum recycling center to make sure that the aluminum scrap price per pound makes your trip worth your effort. If the small shifts are not your major concern and you just want to know you have a regular means of disposal of your waste with the added bonus of an influx of income, you can set up ongoing services with Gardner. We offer everything from container rental to pickup. If your company produces large amounts of aluminum scrap, contact us to set up a commercial recycling program or schedule a scrap pickup.

What Kinds of Aluminum Are Accepted at Gardner Metal Recycling in Austin?

At Gardner Metals, we want to reduce the amount of aluminum scrap going to landfills, so we accept aluminum in almost any form. Whether you have pieces of prefabricated aluminum structures from a demolition project or pounds of aluminum shavings from a machine shop, we can give you a quote.

Other aluminum scrap we accept includes:

• Gutters and drainpipes
• Door and window frames
• Wires and cables
• Miscellaneous cast aluminum
• Auto radiators
• Wheels and auto rims
• Pipe and tubing

Because of efficiency in aluminum recycling in facilities like Gardner, the United States has seen a steady decline in primary aluminum production over the last decades, which is beneficial to the environment because of the reduced energy requirements of secondary production—using recycled aluminum to produce new products. From beverage cans to engine blocks, secondary aluminum production is big business, and it makes sense for you to benefit from it.

Whether you have a one-time need to recycle after a big demolition or an ongoing collection to manage, contact us at Gardner Metal Recycling today to find out how scrap aluminum recycling, and our competitive prices, can help you improve your company’s bottom line.