Today, people are more conscientious than ever when it comes to protecting the environment and reducing their environmental impact. Understandably, this means many customers and the public, in general, consider recycling. As metal is extensively used, and with the negative results that mining has on the environment, a salvage scrap yard in Montcalm, MI, could be the best option for minimizing our ecological footprint.
Extraction
Extracting raw metal and refining it into a usable product is a time consuming and labor intensive process. It also uses an enormous amount of water and fuel. Those natural resources have their own effects on the environment. However, it does tend to have a positive economic impact, since it creates jobs and produces a lot of value. These companies also pay taxes, which results in improved infrastructure. It’s not surprising that the metal industry tends to receive a lot of interest and support.
Metal can be exported to a number of countries, and metals are used in most industries. The need for metal continues to grow as economies develop, and extracting metal is one way to help meet the increased demand. Given the massive importance of global trade, metal extraction will likely increase for many years to come. For many environmentalists and business leaders, this is a serious concern.
While there are economic benefits, there are many drawbacks as well. This is especially true if you look at the environmental costs of the process. Metal extraction causes an incredible amount of pollution and contamination of water and soil in the immediate area. The local community will be greatly affected and damage caused by mining can’t be easily undone.
Recycling
Recycling scrap metal is a way to help meet the demand for metal by various industries, while reducing the negative ecological impact. Metal that isn’t recycled typically ends up occupying landfills. Metal takes a long time to break down, and many metals are toxic if they enter groundwater. One of the major advantages of recycling scrap metal is keeping it out of landfills.
Metal recycling doesn’t just reduce waste., it also creates jobs and bolsters the economy. Recycling and reusing metal requires less resources than extracting and processing raw metal from the Earth. Although it’s not without a carbon footprint of its own, the recycling of scrap metal is much more environmentally friendly than extraction. It doesn’t create as much pollution or contamination that extraction does.
Significance
Metal is used globally and in most industries, it’s practically impossible to picture the modern world without it. Since our need for metal will only continue to increase, it’s worth considering what options are available to limit its environmental effects, while still providing this much-needed material.
There are many ways to reduce your impact and minimize harm to the environment. Recycling your metal at a salvage yard in Montcalm, MI, is one way to help. The long term environmental and economic benefits of scrap metal recycling is highly beneficial, not just for our generation, but the ones to come. Contact the experts at Fair Salvage Company to learn more about recycling and its many advantages.