Industrial & Manufacturing Blog
The scrap metal industry is a demanding and popular one. In fact, one of the most popular metals collected for scrap recycling is copper. When people and businesses get into copper wire recycling for the first time, they are surprised to find out how many different places you can find copper wire. Here's a look at what you need to know about some of the most common places to find copper wire for your recycling efforts.
Electronics
One of the most popular sources of copper wire is household and commercial electronics. Everything from televisions to computers and stereo systems will have copper wire inside them. You just have to remove the case to expose the internal components and find the wire. Most of the wire inside these devices is small enough in diameter that you can snip the wire off with small trimmers or scissors. You won't need any special tools beyond maybe a screwdriver to open the case.
Appliances And Equipment
Household appliances and commercial or industrial equipment can also be good sources of copper wire. Refrigerators, stoves, ranges, manufacturing equipment, and anything else of that sort can be ideal for finding copper wire. Many of these will have larger clusters of wires, so you may need to bring screwdrivers, wrenches, and large cutters to remove the wire. However, the added effort will be worthwhile since you're paid by weight in copper wire recycling. The larger the wire, the heavier it will be.
Old Buildings
If there are any old buildings being demolished in your area or major renovation work happening, talk with the owners about the possibility of harvesting the wiring from the debris. Household and commercial structure electrical wiring are rich in copper, making it a great source for copper wire recycling. Sometimes, the property owner will allow you to take the wiring for your own recycling efforts if they don't have the time or desire to deal with it themselves.
Old Vehicles
If you have any old vehicles in your yard, including that old tractor in the barn, you may be able to strip some copper wire from there as well. Since copper is such a great conductor, it's often used in vehicle wiring for engine power, accessories, lighting, and more.
These are some of the best sources of copper wire for recycling. Talk with a recycling center near you today to see how much you can get for the copper wire you harvest.
Share9 December 2021
