Sustainability is a big topic today, with governments setting sustainability goals and everyday citizens doing their part to contribute to a more sustainable environment. To the metal recyclers and suppliers at Federal Metals Inc., sustainability is more than just a buzzword. It describes not only the scrap metal recycling industry but also the day-to-day operations at our Calgary scrap metal recycling facility.
What is Sustainability?
There is no hard and fixed definition of sustainability. It is an evolving concept that can mean different things in different contexts. In essence, however, sustainability is used to refer to a concerted effort to reduce the harm we cause to the environment and, ultimately, to reverse the damage we have already done. It also means striving to renew the resources we use at an equal or greater rate than the rate at which we consume them. Some of the ways that sustainability is accomplished include:
• Looking ahead into the long-term and thinking about how our current actions will affect the resources available to future generations.
• Focusing on the creation of an economic system which ensures a high quality of life while maintaining sustainable use of resources.
• Creating a system that is able to renew itself in perpetuity and within the limits of what can be provided by nature.
How Scrap Metal Recycling Contributes to Sustainability
Scrap metal and copper recycling in Calgary is well-aligned with the goals of a sustainable economic system that is capable of providing all of the necessary resources for a high quality of life. It ensures that the metal products we are using in industries such as construction, fabrication, and transportation can be reused at the end of their usable lives. This creates a sustainable system that relies far less on the need to mine for new metal ore.
Fewer mining operations mean less environmental destruction and less greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere. It takes only a fraction of the energy to recycle metal as it does to smelt metal from an ore – in some cases as little as 5%. The metal recycling industry also keeps scrap metal from ending up in the landfill, helping to lower landfill size and decreasing the amount of resources needed to manage them. When metals are left to sit in a landfill, they can begin leaching toxic chemicals into the soil. By preventing this, the metal recycling industry helps to reduce the pollution in our soil, water, and air, creating a cleaner and healthier environment.
Sustainable Scrap Metal Recycling in Calgary
Are you interested in doing your part to aid in sustainability while making some extra cash at the same time? Bring your scrap metal to Federal Metals Inc., a family-owned and operated Calgary metal and copper recycling facility that has been recycling metal since 1950. We accept all kinds of ferrous and non-ferrous scrap and can meet all of your metal recycling needs.
If you have any questions about scrap metal recycling or about scrap metal prices in Calgary, don’t hesitate to contact Federal Metals Inc. today.
