Metal

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The term Metal can capture a wide range of different categories/types within the waste and resources sector, but the macro split tends to be into Ferrous Metal (those metals containing iron), Non-Ferrous Metal (those metals not containing iron)[1], and Mixed Metal (a mixture of both ferrous and non-ferrous metal which is then subsequently sorted into various categories/grades for subsequent recycling) - the broad term normally used for waste metals is Scrap Metal in the UK. For Used Beverage Cans (UBC) classifications are generally 'Steel' (Ferrous Metal), 'Aluminium' (Non-Ferrous Metal) and 'Mixed Cans' (Mixture of the two types)

Overview

A Metal is defined as 'a material of various opaque, fusible, ductile, and typically lustrous properties that are good conductors of electricity and heat, form cations by loss of electrons, and yield basic oxides and hydroxides'[2].

The term metal can capture a wide range of different categories/types within the waste and resources sector, but the macro split tends to be into Ferrous Metal (those metals containing iron), Non-Ferrous Metal (those metals not containing iron)[3], and Mixed Metal (a mixture of both ferrous and non-ferrous metal which is then subsequently sorted into various categories/grades for subsequent recycling) - the broad term normally used for waste metals is scrap metal in the UK.

Under Simpler Recycling[4] Metal is classified as:

  • Steel and aluminium tins and cans
  • Steel and aluminium aerosols
  • Aluminium foil
  • Aluminium food trays
  • Steel and aluminium jars and bottle lids
  • Aluminium tubes

Scrap Metal Grades (examples)

Whilst the macro split is into essentially three categories, scrap metal dealers and recycling business trade in the wider commodity markets which have a global influence. Grades of non-ferrous and ferrous scrap metal might include, for example:

  • Mixed Brass Scrap
  • Mixed Alloy Cuttings
  • HE9:Clean
  • Household Cables
  • 18/8 Stainless Steel Solids
  • 13% Chrome Iron
  • 70/30 Cupronickel
  • Dry Bright Wire
  • Heavy Copper
  • Lead Batteries
  • Grade 1 Old Steel (No1 5ft)
  • Grade 5C Loose Light Steel Scrap
  • Grade 10 Light Cast Iron

Local Authority Descriptions

Local authorities collect materials and describe them as required by WasteDataFlow, which is based primarily on the use or origin of the metal, for example cans and fire extinguishes. The headers following are these categories with a listing of which local authorities collect a significant tonnage of these types of materials. Whereas local authorities separately identify large WEEE items such as domestic fridges, the scrap metal industry tends to classify, recycle and trade based on the metal type from these appliances.

Scrap Metal Recycling

Recycling of metals can include the following processes:

  • Collection, weighing, sorting and distribution of metals: dealing with a wide range of suppliers, including engineering industries; small traders, such as plumbers or vehicle dismantlers; local authority collection sites; and householders disposing of domestic appliances.
  • Shearing – reducing the size of large pieces of metal by cutting
  • Baling/compacting – to improve ease of handling and transportation
  • Shredding – reducing feedstock to fist-sized lumps; and separating metals from other materials using magnets and air classification methods. A large shredder can process a car in less than ten seconds.
  • Media separation – further separation of any remaining non ferrous metals using liquid density and hand or mechanical sorting methods
  • International metals trading – moving metals around the world[5].

Under the Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013 it is illegal for anyone to buy scrap metal using cash, and all scrap metal dealers must verify the identity of all sellers.

Macro Tonnages

The most recent information published by DEFRA [6] is summarized in the pie charts below, with 2,060,580 tonnes of ferrous, 478,855 tonnes of non-ferrous and 3,965,881 tonnes of mixed metallic wastes generated in the UK in 2016 and is part of the broader figures reported in UK Waste Tonnage:

Ferrous Waste Non-Ferrous Waste Mixed Metal Waste
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Data Table Data Table Data Table
Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing (AFF) 7,443 Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing (AFF) 1,010 Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing (AFF) 8,254
Mining and Quarrying (MQ) 2,368 Mining and Quarrying (MQ) 1,067 Mining and Quarrying (MQ) 16,915
Industrial (Ind) 245,120 Industrial (Ind) 63,257 Industrial (Ind) 348,199
Construction (Con) 1,129,527 Construction (Con) 298,915 Construction (Con) 688,085
Commercial (Com) 659,898 Commercial (Com) 109,348 Commercial (Com) 2,530,242
Household (HH) 16,224 Household (HH) 5,258 Household (HH) 374,185

The recording of tonnage from the following headers by local authorities in WasteDataFlow is aggregated into the household figures, as the tonnage of metals that might be extracted from Comingled Recyclate that are sorted at a MRF, although these tonnages are not reported by the local authorities in WasteDataFlow as segregated metals unless the MRF provides information back to them

Aerosols

Below is a list of local authorities that sends more than 100 tonnes of this material to a single waste operator.


Authority Stream Facility Operator Address Material Tonnes Reporting Period
Staffordshire County Council Source segregated recyclate Reprocessor - recycling (qu19) Red Industries Ltd Sneyd Hill, Burslem, Stoke On Trent, Staffordshire, St6 2Dz, Aerosols 502.55 Apr21 - Mar22
Glasgow City Source segregated recyclate Reprocessor - recycling (qu19) Not Available Not Available Aerosols 194.22 Jan21 - Dec21
Flintshire County Council Source segregated recyclate Reprocessor - recycling (qu19) Veolia E S ( U K ) Ltd Rear Of Naylors Transport, Comet Road, Leyland, Preston, Lancashire Aerosols 111.13 Apr21 - Mar22


Aluminium Cans

Below is a list of local authorities that sends more than 1000 tonnes of this material to a single waste operator.


Authority Stream Facility Operator Address Material Tonnes Reporting Period
Vale of Glamorgan Council Source segregated recyclate Reprocessor - recycling (qu19) Cowbridge Compost Ltd The Lodge, Llwynhelig, Gibbots Hill, Cowbridge, Vale Of Glamorgan Aluminium cans 8,502.31 Apr21 - Mar22
Swindon Borough Council Source segregated recyclate Reprocessor - recycling (qu19) Jeremy Mark Freeth Kingshill Recycling Centre, Cricklade, Swindon, Wiltshire Aluminium cans 8,326.98 Apr21 - Mar22
Bath and North East Somerset Council Source segregated recyclate Reprocessor - recycling (qu19) J & A Young ( Leicester ) Ltd J & A Young ( Leicester), Berristow Lane, South Normanton, Derbyshire Aluminium cans 2,871.40 Apr21 - Mar22
North Somerset Council Source segregated recyclate Reprocessor - recycling (qu19) Other/Exempt 62 Brandon Parade,Holly Walk,Royal Leamington SpaWarwickshire Aluminium cans 2,800.53 Apr21 - Mar22
St Helens MBC Source segregated recyclate Reprocessor - recycling (qu19) Central Grange Environmental Waste Ltd Merton Street, St Helens, Merseyside Aluminium cans 2,649.36 Apr21 - Mar22
Flintshire County Council Source segregated recyclate Reprocessor - recycling (qu19) Parry & Evans Unit 103, Zone 1, Deeside Industrial Park, Deeside Aluminium cans 1,986.97 Apr21 - Mar22
North Somerset Council Source segregated recyclate Reprocessor - recycling (qu19) Other/Exempt Aston House, 3 Springfield Industrial Estate, Newport, Shropshire Aluminium cans 1,939.78 Apr21 - Mar22
Swindon Borough Council Source segregated recyclate Reprocessor - recycling (qu19) European Metal Recycling Ltd Bridge House, Gipsy Lane, Swindon, Wiltshire Aluminium cans 1,763.54 Apr21 - Mar22
Halton Borough Council Source segregated recyclate Reprocessor - recycling (qu19) Veolia Environmental Services Merseyside & Halton Ltd Stonebridge Lane, Gillmoss, Liverpool, Merseyside Aluminium cans 1,712.74 Apr21 - Mar22
Bristol City Council Source segregated recyclate Reprocessor - recycling (qu19) Morris & Co Handlers Ltd Bankwood Lane, Rossington, Doncaster, South Yorkshire, Yorkshire Aluminium cans 1,611.53 Apr21 - Mar22
Cheshire West and Chester Source segregated recyclate Reprocessor - recycling (qu19) Other/Exempt Biffa Junction Works, Bickenshaw, Abram, Wigan, Aluminium cans 1,190.49 Apr21 - Mar22

Aluminium Foil

Below is a list of local authorities that sends more than 100 tonnes of this material to a single waste operator.


Authority Stream Facility Operator Address Material Tonnes Reporting Period
Gloucestershire County Council Source segregated recyclate Reprocessor - recycling (qu19) Smiths ( Gloucester ) Ltd The Old Airfield, Moreton Valence, Gloucestershire Aluminium foil 3,460.27 Apr21 - Mar22
Newport City Council Source segregated recyclate Reprocessor - recycling (qu19) Avalon Metals Limited Eastside Recycling Facility, Fordshill Road, Rotherwas Ind Est, Hereford Aluminium foil 439.23 Apr21 - Mar22
Cheltenham Borough Council Source segregated recyclate Reprocessor - recycling (qu19) P W Commercial Company Limited Printwaste Recycling And Shredding, Units 5 & 6 The Aerodrome, Stoke Orchard, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire Aluminium foil 139.87 Apr21 - Mar22

Bicycles

Below is a list of local authorities that sends more than 200 tonnes of this material to a single waste operator.


Authority Stream Facility Operator Address Material Tonnes Reporting Period
Doncaster MBC Source segregated recyclate Reuse (qu35) Other/Exempt Doncaster Re-furnish, Unit15 Hutton Business Park, Hangthwate Road, Carcroft, Doncaster Bicycles 458.35 Apr21 - Mar22
Oxfordshire County Council Source segregated recyclate Reuse (qu35) Other/Exempt W&S Recycling, Mannings Heath, Dorset BH12 4NZ (WEX117498) Bicycles 401.45 Apr21 - Mar22
Wokingham Council Source segregated recyclate Reuse (qu35) Other/Exempt 46-48 Portman Road, Reading, RG30 1EA Bicycles 371.08 Apr21 - Mar22
Lancaster City Council Source segregated recyclate Reprocessor - recycling (qu19) Other/Exempt Vickers Industrial EstateMellishaw LaneMorecambeLA3 3EN Bicycles 303.67 Apr21 - Mar22
West Sussex County Council Source segregated recyclate Reuse (qu35) Multiple destinations Multiple Bicycles 225.08 Apr21 - Mar22
Reading Borough Council Source segregated recyclate Reuse (qu35) Other/Exempt Precycle. 46-48 Portman Road, Reading, RG30 1EAExemptions WEX059051 and WEX059060Not found on selection lists Bicycles 224.37 Apr21 - Mar22
Buckinghamshire Council Source segregated recyclate Reuse (qu35) Other/Exempt South Bucks Hospice; Aston Clinton - HRC College Road North Aston Clinton Buckinghamshire Bicycles 215.40 Apr21 - Mar22
Bracknell Forest Borough Council Source segregated recyclate Reuse (qu35) Other/Exempt Precycle. 46-48 Portman Road, Reading, RG30 1EAExemptions WEX059051 and WEX059060Not found on selection lists Bicycles 208.18 Apr21 - Mar22

Fire Extinguishers

Below is a list of local authorities that sends more than 100 tonnes of this material to a single waste operator.


Authority Stream Facility Operator Address Material Tonnes Reporting Period
Cumbria County Council Source segregated recyclate Reprocessor - recycling (qu19) Site details not known Unknown Fire extinguishers 1,537.33 Apr21 - Mar22
Glasgow City Source segregated recyclate Reprocessor - recycling (qu19) Not Available Not Available Fire extinguishers 177.31 Jan21 - Dec21
Norfolk County Council Source segregated recyclate Reprocessor - recycling (qu19) Enviroco Limited Berths 2-4, South Denes Road, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk Fire extinguishers 152.31 Apr21 - Mar22

Gas Bottles

Below is a list of local authorities that sends more than 2000 tonnes of this material to a single waste operator.


Authority Stream Facility Operator Address Material Tonnes Reporting Period
Norfolk County Council Source segregated recyclate Reprocessor - recycling (qu19) Glazewing Ltd Far End, Station Road, West Dereham, Norfolk Gas bottles 2,902.66 Apr21 - Mar22

Mixed cans

Below is a list of local authorities that sends more than 2000 tonnes of this material to a single waste operator.


Authority Stream Facility Operator Address Material Tonnes Reporting Period
St Helens MBC Source segregated recyclate Reprocessor - recycling (qu19) Biffa Waste Services Ltd Pocket Nook Resource Management Centre, Pocket Nook Street, St Helens, Warrington, Cheshire Mixed cans 7,451.41 Apr21 - Mar22
Devon County Council Source segregated recyclate Reprocessor - recycling (qu19) Sims Group Uk Ltd 7 Christow Road, Marsh Barton Ind Est, Exeter, Devon Mixed cans 5,456.09 Apr21 - Mar22
Gloucestershire County Council Source segregated recyclate Reprocessor - recycling (qu19) Smiths ( Gloucester ) Ltd The Old Airfield, Moreton Valence, Gloucestershire Mixed cans 5,161.63 Apr21 - Mar22
Ryedale District Council Source segregated recyclate Reprocessor - recycling (qu19) Yorwaste Ltd Seamer Landfill Site, Dunslow Road, Seamer, Scarborough, North Yorkshire Mixed cans 5,037.96 Apr21 - Mar22
Nottinghamshire County Council Source segregated recyclate Reprocessor - recycling (qu19) Sims Group U K Ltd Harrimans Lane, Dunkirk, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire Mixed cans 4,555.24 Apr21 - Mar22
Dumfries & Galloway Source segregated recyclate Reprocessor - recycling (qu19) Not Available Not Available Mixed cans 4,475.19 Jan21 - Dec21
Cambridgeshire County Council Source segregated recyclate Reprocessor - recycling (qu19) European Metal Recycling Ltd Beevor Street, Lincoln, Lincolnshire Mixed cans 4,032.36 Apr21 - Mar22
Richmondshire District Council Source segregated recyclate Reprocessor - recycling (qu19) Yorwaste Ltd Tancred Quarry, Scorton, Richmond, North Yorkshire Mixed cans 4,029.19 Apr21 - Mar22
Devon County Council Source segregated recyclate Reprocessor - recycling (qu19) Sita U K Ltd East Devon Materials Recycling Facility, Unit 54, Greendale Business Park, Woodbury, Salterton, Devon Mixed cans 3,621.12 Apr21 - Mar22
Neath Port Talbot CBC Source segregated recyclate Reprocessor - recycling (qu19) P M K Recycling Limited P M K Recycling, Baston Outgang Road, Baston, Peterborough, Cambs Mixed cans 2,257.00 Apr21 - Mar22

Other Scrap Metal

Below is a list of local authorities that sends more than 10000 tonnes of this material to a single waste operator.


Authority Stream Facility Operator Address Material Tonnes Reporting Period
Merseyside WDA (MBC) Source segregated recyclate Reprocessor - recycling (qu19) S Norton & Co Ltd Bankfield House, Bankfield Mill, Regent Road, Liverpool, Merseyside Other Scrap metal 17,486.76 Apr21 - Mar22
Devon County Council Source segregated recyclate Reprocessor - recycling (qu19) Sims Group Uk Ltd 7 Christow Road, Marsh Barton Ind Est, Exeter, Devon Other Scrap metal 10,490.73 Apr21 - Mar22

Steel Cans

Below is a list of local authorities that sends more than 2000 tonnes of this material to a single waste operator.


Authority Stream Facility Operator Address Material Tonnes Reporting Period
Vale of Glamorgan Council Source segregated recyclate Reprocessor - recycling (qu19) Cowbridge Compost Ltd The Lodge, Llwynhelig, Gibbots Hill, Cowbridge, Vale Of Glamorgan Steel cans 8,502.31 Apr21 - Mar22
Swindon Borough Council Source segregated recyclate Reprocessor - recycling (qu19) Jeremy Mark Freeth Kingshill Recycling Centre, Cricklade, Swindon, Wiltshire Steel cans 8,326.98 Apr21 - Mar22
Bath and North East Somerset Council Source segregated recyclate Reprocessor - recycling (qu19) J & A Young ( Leicester ) Ltd J & A Young ( Leicester), Berristow Lane, South Normanton, Derbyshire Steel cans 2,871.40 Apr21 - Mar22
North Somerset Council Source segregated recyclate Reprocessor - recycling (qu19) Other/Exempt 62 Brandon Parade,Holly Walk,Royal Leamington SpaWarwickshire Steel cans 2,800.53 Apr21 - Mar22
St Helens MBC Source segregated recyclate Reprocessor - recycling (qu19) Central Grange Environmental Waste Ltd Merton Street, St Helens, Merseyside Steel cans 2,649.36 Apr21 - Mar22
Moray Source segregated recyclate Other Method Not Available Not Available Steel cans 2,564.81 Jan21 - Dec21

References

  1. ↑ https://www.metalsupermarkets.co.uk/the-difference-between-ferrous-and-non-ferrous-metal/
  2. ↑ Marriam-Webster Dictionary, 2019. Definition of METAL. Merriam-webster.com. [online] [Accessed 27 Nov. 2019].
  3. ↑ https://www.metalsupermarkets.co.uk/the-difference-between-ferrous-and-non-ferrous-metal/
  4. ↑ https://www.gov.uk/government/news/simpler-recycling-collections-and-tougher-regulation-to-reform-waste-system
  5. ↑ BMRA, 2019. Metals recycling in the UK. Recyclemetals.org. [online] [Accessed 5 Dec. 2019].
  6. ↑ UK Statistics on Waste 2020
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