Metal recycling has been around for a long time, but recently, many people have become interested in selling scrap metal for cash to add to their income. Making money with metal recycling is not difficult, but there are some things that can help you profit from scrap metal that you find lying around and discarded.

Finding Metal

For many people, the first question they ask is where to find recyclable metals that they can turn in for cash. You can find scrap metal in many places, and if you watch, you may see metal discarded along the road, in patches of woods, and in abandoned areas. However, there are also many people that have scrap metal they are willing to give you because they don't want to take it to a metal recycler, and it can't go in the regular trash. Watch for discarded metal and ask the property owner if you can clean the scrap up for them. Once you remove the scrap metal, the property will look better, and you don't have to charge the owner anything for the removal because you can sell the scrap at the metal recycling center and can pocket the cash. If you want to recycle metal full-time, get a business card made and place some ads on local websites letting people know you will remove scrap metal for free. You will often be able to find enough scrap to keep you busy with metal recycling and turn it into a full-time job.

Know Your Metal

Picking up general scrap metal and taking it to a metal recycling yard is an excellent way to get started. However, if you want to maximize the amount of money you can make, you need to be able to identify different materials. Nonferrous metals are typically not magnetic and are more valuable than standard steel because they can be recycled, metaled down, and used repeatedly with no material degradation. Aluminum and copper fall into the nonferrous category, so recognizing those materials is critical. While these materials weigh less than steel or iron, the price is often high enough that you can make a decent profit off smaller amounts. If you have space to store the material, collecting the more valuable materials and waiting to sell them until you have a large amount or the selling price is high can be the best way to profit from them. Standard steel and iron are also very recyclable, but the metal recycling service may not pay as much for them.

Sorting the ferrous and nonferrous metals out, selling them at different times, and making sure the materials are clean and free of other materials is the best way to make money with metal recycling. The process takes time, and it can be hard work, but there are decent returns if you understand the different metals you can sell and how to get the most from them.

For more information, contact a metal recycling service, such as Durable Metals.