What Influences Scrap Metal Prices?

“Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes…” Sure, David Bowie probably wasn’t talking about scrap metal prices when he sang those lyrics, but they’re nonetheless applicable. Every year, millions of tons of metal are sold to scrap yards to make everything from planes to musical instruments to electronics. Market prices for scrap metals are constantly in flux. In fact, the price

What Scrap Metal is This? A Guide to Identifying Metals

Steel and tin and iron—oh my! If you’re new to the world of scrap metal recycling, then the process of sorting and identifying unfamiliar metals may seem a bit overwhelming.   But don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. While it’s easiest to just bring your scrap metals to your local metal scrap yard, there are

Back to Basics: An Introduction to Metal Recycling

Welcome to the exciting world of metal recycling! (Seriously, it’s a lot more fascinating than you might think.) As some of the world’s most recyclable materials, metals can be melted and refashioned into new products over and over again without losing strength or fidelity. And unlike plastics, they don’t have to be “downcycled” into lower-grade

Sculptures From Scrap Metal? You Have To See To Believe!

Here at Gardner Metals, we appreciate scrap metal in all its forms. That’s precisely why we were so thrilled to discover that enterprising artists have been using it to create some pretty fantastical works of art. From steampunk bison to real-life transformers, scrap metal artists are building larger-than-life sculptures and giving new meaning to the

What Kinds of Metal Are Recyclable?

Knowing your brass from your bronze is a huge advantage when you’re recycling metal. After all, pre-sorting metal is advantageous—scrap metal yards typically pay more for metal that’s been arranged by type.   Below, you’ll find a primer on the different types most frequently accepted by scrap metal recycling centers. This way, you can get

Scrap Metal Made Into Useful Inventions

Necessity may be the mother of invention, but in some cases, scrap metal from the local scrap yard plays a pretty big part too. Take prodigy Kelvin Doe, who rose to internet fame in 2012 after news outlets reported on the tons of gadgets he’d built. They include a transistor radio, a studio generator and

Where Do Recycled Cans Go?

Did you know that aluminum cans are reborn every 60 days? Recycled cans lead pretty complex lives, in fact. Because aluminum scrap is endlessly recyclable, that ordinary soda can may have been melted down and reprocessed literally hundreds of times. So how does that can go from your refrigerator to the recycling plant and back

How to Make Money Recycling Scrap Metal

Looking for a little extra spending money? Whether you’re saving for that big vacation or just want to line your pockets a bit, the extra cash you’re looking for may be right in your basement, garage or attic! While scrap metal recycling centers  will take almost any metal off your hands, if you want your

What Happens to Metal When It’s Recycled?

We’ve all seen the labels: “made from 30% recycled aluminum” or “contains 100% recycled steel.” And most of us have recycling bins in our kitchens or garages where we collect used metal cans and containers. But what happens after those cans get picked up? And what about when you contact a metal recycling center for