In 2015, 193 member states of the UN decided and agreed to 17 Sustainable Development Goals. These goals aim to tackle some of the most pressing global challenges, including eradicating poverty, promoting responsible production and consumption, tackling urgent climate action, and protecting life both on land and underwater.
Fast forward to today, and these goals remain more relevant than ever. The UK Government has fully embraced the SDGs, making a legal commitment to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. This sets a clear expectation: every sector and industry must play their part in creating a sustainable future for the planet, as well as their business.
With an increasingly eco-conscious population, people are becoming more likely to choose businesses who align with their values, and so proving your commitment to sustainability could win new business, as well as cut your overall costs.
At Morecambe Metals, we have been dealing with non-ferrous metal recycling for more than 35 years, and so are ahead of the curve when it comes to helping your business become more eco-friendly. Whether you’re a sole trader or a large business, we have an array of services that will help with making a sustainable future.
Here are some ways that recycling metals is essential for creating a sustainable future.
Conserves Natural Resources for Future Generations
When creating metals, it isn’t just the natural resources for the metal itself that are needed – such as the iron ore. There are also the natural resources required for the production, such as coal needed for combustion. As such, our natural resources are depleting, and we are damaging our environment as a result.
By recycling metals, or opting to use recycled metals over virgin metals, you and your business will be making a conscious effort to adhere to Goal 12 of the SDGs – ‘ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns’.
Cost-Effective For Your Business
Using recycled metals is often more cost-effective than the cost of processing and producing virgin metals, which is a sure way to ensure that your business also stays sustainable.
Uses Less Energy
Recycling metals significantly less energy than making new products using raw materials. In the case of aluminium, this could be 95% less energy used than creating it from scratch.
Metals needed for construction can also be recycled due to their durability. Steel is the most recycled material in the world – it is recycled more often every year than paper, glass, aluminium and plastic combined.
Using less energy means lower costs and less lethal greenhouse gases from being emitted into the atmosphere. SDG 13 is to ‘take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts’ – so focusing on using less energy should be a critical objective of your business.
Reduces Waste And Sending to Landfill
The sad truth is that any materials not used again or recycled will either end up in landfill or be incinerated. Landfills, although necessary to some extent, are designed to contain waste and prevent it from contaminating our local environment.
Even despite precautions put in place, landfills can still leak toxic chemicals into the surrounding environment. Even more worryingly, landfills emit methane gas, which is more harmful than CO2.
Incineration is the process of burning waste, which releases toxic chemicals and pollutants into the air, which worryingly can make its way into our food supply.
By recycling metals, no matter how small, you are making a conscious effort to prevent contributing to harmful landfills and adhering to SDGs 14 and 15 – protecting and sustaining life on land and below sea.
Promote Sustainable Economic Growth
Number 8 of the UN’s Sustainability Development Goals is to ‘Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all’.
Recycling is an important economic activity as it creates a range of jobs from sorting through to manufacturing. By investing in sustainable materials and sending your unneeded metals to us at Morecambe Metals, you are helping contribute to a sustainable and circular economy.
By extending the lifespan of materials, rather than reverting to creating new metals through raw materials, you are helping to close the loop. This, in turn, minimises waste and creates a more sustainable society.
Here at Morecambe Metals, we deal with industry, trade, and domestic requirements for scrap metal recycling. Our innovative processes ensure that both on a business and a personal level, you can contribute to a sustainable future through recycling your metals in the most effective way.
For more information, you can get in touch with us today.