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THE I SR I SCRAP YEARBOOK
2016
INSTITUTE OF SCRAP RECYCLING INDUSTRIES, INC.
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The scrapyard has been at the heart of the modern scrap
industry and it’s where most metal scrap goes for processing.
While it has been said that no two scrapyards are exactly
the same given the range of plant sizes, locations, layouts,
equipment, and commodities processed, scrapyards do have
some distinguishing characteristics. Unlike junkyards and
other facilities in the recycling supply chain, scrapyards not
only receive and
handle recyclables,
scrapyards also
process scrap into
commodity-grade
material using a
range of capital
equipment.
Typically, deliveries at a scrapyard will be weighed on a
scale upon arrival and will then be moved, sorted, and
processed using equipment such as forklifts, trucks, and
cranes for transport, as well as balers, shears, wire choppers,
shredders, and other tools for processing. While scrapyards
vary considerably in size and layout, key variables that affect
a plant’s efficiency include maintaining a smooth flow of
traffic and minimizing the number of times that material is
handled. While scrapyards have often been located near
major manufacturing
centers, scrap
recycling facilities
today are located
all across the
United States and
throughout the world.
In addition to outdoor recycling plants, an increasing number
of high-tech facilities with advanced sorting systems for
processing plastics, electronics, recovered paper, and other
commodities are located indoors.
How is Scrap Processed?