What Is Considered Scrap in Industrial Handling Practices?

To the layperson, the term “scrap metal” conjures up visions of some oddly shaped hunk of steel. Of course, in the industry, we know that “scrap metal” is a much more all-encompassing term, consisting not only of steel, but of non-ferrous metals in all shapes and sizes. To get a clearer concept of what is considered scrap in industrial handling practices, read ahead.

For Industrial Purposes Only

“Industrial scrap” is the byproduct of manufacturing, cutting, and shaping processes by businesses that focus on these tasks. Scrap metal that occurs from cutting processes in a residential setting, such as constructing a shed in the backyard, may bear a resemblance to industrial scrap, but it doesn’t count as such. The same goes for an industrial setting that may do some necessary metalworking on a sporadic basis but not as their primary business.

The Importance of Promptness

We typically break scrap metal into two groups: prompt and obsolete. Obsolete scrap is another form of scrap metal that most laypeople envision: the disused patio furniture, empty cans, and rusty old bikes that turn up at the ends of driveways. Obsolete scrap has its time and place in the recycling industry, but much of what is considered scrap in industrial handling practices is prompt rather than obsolete. Prompt scrap is what’s left over from automobile production, sheet metal production, and other industrial processes that leave behind unused but currently unusable material, with none of the wear and tear or corrosion of obsolete scrap.

Retrieving and Handling Industrial Scrap

While many recycling facilities contract with manufacturing partners to procure prompt scrap, handling that scrap is not as simple as bringing in a box that someone dropped at your doorstep. To handle heavy steel material such as prompt industrial scrap, you’ll need excavator scrap magnets from Moley Magnetics. These powerful magnets will hoist and sort your scrap, facilitating easy processing while leaving behind what you don’t need.  See our excavator scrap magnets on YouTube.