Any recycling you can do, whether you earn money from it or not, helps the planet. That's not just an empty slogan; recycling reduces the need for so many new resources, enabling humans to make what the planet has last longer. Recycling also helps keep space in landfills available for those things that truly belong there. One thing to keep in mind, however, is that until you actually recycle items, you have to store them, and that can lead to a few issues if you aren't proactive. If your business is storing old scrap metal for eventual recycling, you can take a few steps to make the pile and storage area safer for your employees.
Have the Recycling Company Pick Up
One step is to have the recycling company pick up the recycling, rather than having an employee take it to the yard. While some recycling companies don't offer this service, many do for commercial or industrial customers. Scrap metal can be sharp and rusty, and it can be heavy and unstable if stacked improperly. No matter how well-versed your staff is in dealing with scrap metal, you're safer if you have the recycling company handle as much of the job as you can.
Contain the Metal Onsite
If recycling scrap metal is going to be a regular thing for your company, you need to have a dedicated containment area. No, the metal isn't going to contaminate you somehow — you just need to ensure it's not spilling out over part of the property with no control or organization. Set aside a corner and try to sort the metal if possible. Add a locked fence around the metal to prevent theft.
Watch for Pests
Metal itself isn't going to attract pests like wood or garbage might. However, a pile of metal scraps might provide a nice shelter for pests in bad weather. And you don't want people going up to the pile to add to it only to have a rat or a bunch of bugs suddenly emerge. If you have a pest control company that services your property, ask them to include the metal storage area. Also, move all trash cans away from the storage area so garbage doesn't attract any pests that may become interested in the scrap pile.
Just these three steps can make the scrap metal area a lot safer for you and your workers. Call the scrap metal yard now to ask about pickup services, and get the metal storage area organized. You'll find recycling to be a lot easier after that.
For more information on best practices, contact a company that specializes in industrial scrap metal recycling.
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