Recycling Metals

Question 1

What are the advantages of recycling metals?

Answer 1

Conserves our natural reserves of metal as we only have a limited amount
Reduces the need of mining - less noise and dust pollution and damage to landscape
Produces less pollution - eg less fossils fuels are needed in the extraction of metals
Less waste is disposed of in landfill sites - conserved space and less pollution.

Question 2

What is a disadvantage of recycling metals?

Answer 2

The cost in collecting, sorting and transporting metals to be recycled. This can sometimes be more expensive to recycle metals than to extract them.

Question 3

How are metals recycled?

Answer 3

• metals are collected from a collection point.
• metals have to be separated - iron and steel are easily separated from other metals because they’re magnetic
• other metals are separated by hand
• metals obtained from waste are melted down and sold onto manufacturers.

Question 4

What is the most cost effective metal to recycle?

Answer 4

Aluminium

Question 5

What is recycling?

Answer 5

The extraction of a material from waste so that it can be reused or processed to make a new object or material.