Tag: electronics recycling

Computer Recycling & IT Recycling

Computer Recycling & IT Recycling: eScrap Basics

Computer Recycling & IT Recycling

IT Recycling is a fundamental pillar of the metals reprocessing business. In a growing technological world, the demand for a solution to the overflow of old electronic devices is increasing. Subsequently, Interco has begun to pave the way for innovation in the computer recycling world.

Elements of recycling technology are important in the eScrap sector of the green world. Therefore, Interco strives to be a leader in the industry and commits to a positive future. As a result, Interco follows an efficient computer reprocessing system. 

  1. Receive old goods
  2. Sort items into product categories
  3. Remove plastics and send them off for safe disposal
  4. Extract precious metals (copper, aluminum, brass, etc.)
  5. Dispose of all contaminants
  6. Collect old computers
  7. Use tools to dispose glass, plastics, and other contaminants
  8. Remove,circuits, batteries, and additional wiring
  9. Extract nonferrous metals from the interiors
  10. Prepare precious metals for sale
  11. Environmentally cautious disposal of contaminants

Environmental Benefits

Computer Recycling & IT Recycling
  • Limited landfill waste
  • Conservation of natural resources (sustainability of copper mines)
  • Saves energy
  • Supports the conservation of resources
  • Create jobs

 

Conclusion

In conclusion, computer recycling is a measure that must be taken in order to support our ever-growing economy and world. By utilizing the benefits of this process, one can experience a better world that does not leave waste alone in landfills, only to rot and fester. Instead, what was once waste can now be used for a positive impact. So, on top of the work in recycling nonferrous metals, Interco prides itself on being a pioneer in the industry and continues to strive towards growth and a cleaner footprint. 

To learn more about computer recycling with Interco, click here.

Recycle Networking Equipment

Recycle Networking Equipment

In the current digital revolution, businesses are forced to discard outdated, faulty scrap network gear in place of new tech. Interco has the means to source and recycle networking equipment. The company sources material from industrial sources, scrap dealers and data centers across North America. In addition, the company disassembles the scrap network gear and extract the precious metals and other valuable materials.

Scrap Network Gear

Recycle Networking Equipment

According to the EPA, US companies recycled 1.2 million tons of consumer electronics in 2015. A significant portion of this comes from companies who recycle networking equipment such as scrap network gear. Examples of scrap network gear include:

  1. Routers
  2. Switches
  3. Network Cards
  4. Repeaters
  5. Modems

The Recycling Process

Additionally, Interco has a two-step process. The company uses this process to recycle networking equipment. First, the recycler sorts the equipment by type and material construction. When possible, the Interco staff separates the plastic and steel parts from the network gear. Next, dis-assemblers remove printed circuit boards (PCB) and other material. The other material includes computer wire, hard drives, power supplies, memory, processors and other parts.

Many of the Interco suppliers follow the Department of Defense standards for data destruction and remove the data from the devices. They mostly perform this step prior to shipping the equipment to Interco. Others require the scrap network gear be destroyed. This often means the company deploys a material shredder. A shredder breaks the scrap networking gear into small enough pieces. This results in unrecognizable data that allows the precious metals to be more efficiently recovered.

The Shredder

Recycle Networking Equipment

Next, Interco shreds the scrap network gear into raw commodities such as nonferrous metals and precious metals. The shredder even sorts out the plastic and steel. The nonferrous metals include, but are not limited to:

  • Aluminum
  • Copper
  • Zinc

Accordingly, when recycle networking equipment, Interco separates the white metals from the red metals and recycles them. Interco practices an effective and efficient recycling process:

  • First, a state-of-the-art metal shredder shreds the white metals into small pieces – usually two-inch squares. At that point, they transport these shreds into a heater.
  • Note that white metal compounds do not have high dissolving focuses. The temperature should be set a little over their liquefying focuses This could mean 350 degrees Celsius as an example. This guarantees consistency in the liquid state.
  • Recyclers then blend a couple of added substances like synthetic compounds to improve its quality.
  • Next, they cast the liquid white metal into forms to make ingots and leave to cool.
  • Finally, they transport ingots to assembling or mechanical organizations for further handling.

Red Metals Shredding

Recycle Networking Equipment

Red metals have a similar process for recycling. However, it is a little different:

  1. Accumulation: Above all else, experts gather the different red metal pieces. Certain assembling organizations purchase these pieces from individuals as
    recycle networking equipment. They sell their out of date hardware, parts or instruments made of red metals. They call this procedure of purchasing the “gathering procedure.” In like manner, one of the biggest sources of red metals speak to materials made of copper for example wires.
  2. Arranging: Reusing scrap red metals takes off after accumulation. Thus, Interco sorts the gathered pieces as per their characteristic qualities. Recyclers separate the untainted copper from its amalgams (metal, bronze, etc.). Processors use magnets and optical separation sensors and observe the red metal sort. After this, they regularly convey the material to a metal shredder to set it up for the following step.
  3. Softening and Cleaning: Moreover, after the recycler gathers and arranges these materials. Then they expose the metals to high temperature to liquefy. The purging helps guarantee the contaminants dissipate and achieve high caliber status.
  4. Cementing: At last, after the pieces have been liquefied and refined, manufacturing plants cast them into shapes. The liquid state makes it possible contingent upon their motivation and leave them to dry.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the process used to recycle networking equipment and scrap network gear is important and complex. The digital age forces us to continue to innovate in all that we do. Furthermore, the continued updating and improvement in the process helps Interco maintain efficiencies.

Interco represents the best of the recycling world. The company relies on its experience so you can recycle your networking equipment and scrap network gear on a local and global scale with confidence.

Interco Specializes in Mixed Scrap Loads

Interco is an expert in recycling loads of mixed scrap material. In addition to all things eScrap, computers, servers and electronics, Interco buys the following:

Interco Specializes in Mixed Scrap Loads
Interco Specializes in Mixed Scrap Loads

Red Metals

  • Bare Bright
  • #1 Copper
  • #2 Copper
  • Copper Chops
  • Red Brass (Red/Semi-Red)
  • Yellow Brass – Clean (Solids/Turnings)
  • Brass Shells – Clean (No Live Rounds)
  • Brass Breakage (50%/75%)
  • Auto Radiators (Clean/Dirty)
  • Al/Cu Radiators (Clean/Dirty)
  • Al/Cu Radiator Ends
  • Water Meters (Clean/Plastic/Steel)
  • #1 Insulated Wire (60-65% Cu)
  • #2 Insulated Wire (40-45% Cu)
  • Heliax – Open-Eye Copper/Copper
  • Harness Wire
  • Jelly Wire
  • Computer Wire (30-35% Cu)
  • Christmas Lights
  • 2-in-1 Wire (8A/6A)
  • Copper-Clad Wire (30%)
  • BX Cable (Al/Fe)
  • URD Wire
  • Copper Yokes
Interco Specializes in Mixed Scrap Loads
Interco Specializes in Mixed Scrap Loads

White Metals

  • Old sheet (<5% allowance)
  • Cast Aluminum (<5% Allowance)
  • Painted Siding
  • Road Signs
  • MLC (Bare/Paint+Poly)
  • UBC’s (Mill-Grade/Secondary)
  • 10/10 Extrusions – Clean (<2% allowance)
  • Litho
  • EC Wire
  • Aluminum Radiators (Clean or Dirty)
  • Alum Turnings – Clean (High-Grade/Mixed)
  • Al Foil and Screens
  • Aluminum Breakage
  • Transmissions (no torque converters)
  • Auto AC compressors
  • 356 Wheels (Clean or Dirty)
  • Chrome Wheels (Clean or Dirty)
  • Truck Wheels (Clean or Dirty)
  • ACSR/Insulated Alum Wire – 65% Alum
  • Gas Meters (Whole)
  • Oxygen Tanks (Halved or Open-Ended)
  • CATV Wire (Bare/Black/Irony)
  • Old Zinc Die Cast (Clean/Irony)
  • 304 Stainless (Solids/Turnings)
  • 316 Stainless (Solids/Turnings)
Interco Specializes in Mixed Scrap Loads
Interco Specializes in Mixed Scrap Loads

Lead

  • Clean Soft Lead
  • Hard or Mixed Lead
  • Lead Shot
  • Range Lead – Indoor
  • Wheel Weights
  • Auto Batteries (Wrapped/Banded)
  • Steel-Cased Batteries (Wrapped/Banded)
  • Lead-Copper Cable

Copper-Iron/Other

  • Clean Electric Motors (Mixed/Large)
  • Sealed Units
  • Cast Iron Compressors
  • Ballasts (Non-PCB and Electronic)
  • HID ballasts (Al/Fe)
  • Cu Transformers (Small/Large)
  • Al/Cu Transformers (Small)
  • Aluminum Transformers (Large)
  • Welders and Battery Chargers
  • Copper-Bearing Material (CBM)
  • Alternators
  • Starters (Alum/Steel-Nosed)
  • Electric Meters (Digital/Analog/Glass)

Conclusion

Interco recycles mixed scrap loads. In addition, our suppliers can ship a truckload of material (usually 40,000+ pounds) – with any combination of the above items. Additionally, there is no minimum quantity per item. In fact, they just need to be separated either by bale or by gaylord box.

To learn more about Interco’s mixed scrap recycling services, click here.

Recycling Printed Circuit Boards

Recycling Printed Circuit Boards

Printed Circuit boards (PCB), also known as green boards, are designed specifically to support and facilitate the connection of electronic components. They accomplish this through their conductive tracks, pads and etched sheet of copper layer laminated on it.

First off, PCB can be found in the majority of the electronic gadgets and devices popular today. They serve as a conductive foundation where you fix other electronic components, such as capacitors, resistors, inductors and much more.

With its vast use in today’s electronics, printed circuit boards should be recycled when gadgets get spoiled or broken.

Why Recycle PCB?

Recycling Printed Circuit Boards

Recycling printed circuit boards that are populated with many components could yield more valuable materials like:

  • Gold
  • Silver
  • Platinum
  • Palladium

How? The process extracts components affixed to the boards. Recycling PCB recovers approximately 99 percent of the precious and scarce metals from the recycling process.

The copper part of the board is completely recyclable as a metallic material. Recycling PCB helps reduce depletion of natural resources such as copper, as processors often reuse these boards multiple times. Although, after recycling, they must test the boards as the recycling process might damage certain parts of the board.

In addition, because of the excessive use of this type of circuit board in the electronic manufacturing industries, recycling printed circuit boards reduces solid waste, landfill and land pollution.

How to Recycle PCB

Due to the nature of the intricacy of the boards themselves, recycling them poses difficulty because of the several chemicals, metals and glass fibers used in manufacturing them. Subsequently, in order to successfully recycle them, recyclers separate these components carefully to prevent total destruction of scarce materials.

Likewise, there are three main ways of recycling PCB: electrochemical process, hydro-metallurgy, and smelting process.

Recycling Printed Circuit Boards

These methods assist in recovering valuable electronic components, connectors and metal scraps. Hence, the most popular way of recycling PCB is through dismantling. This involves loosening the board from its components. The steps are as follows:

Recycling Printed Circuit Boards
  1. First, recycle haulers collect these used to damaged boards and ship them to recycling companies.
  2. Next, the company drills the boards and loosens them to remove components easily.
  3. Finally, they meticulously remove the components, namely the following:
    • Capacitors
    • TV plugs
    • Motors
    • Screws
    • LED
    • Transistors
    • Switches

Dismantling the boards requires special tools and meticulous handling in order to avoid damaging the board as well as its components. After dismantling, the recyclable materials (copper) melt and refine into new products. Finally, recyclers incinerate any non-recyclable materials for electricity production and properly filter waste water from the process before discharging it.

Conclusion

Lastly, pulling or picking parts off the boards and recycling them is neither economical nor practical. Because of how delicate they are, test PCB after successfully recycling a PCB to ensure functionality.

If you are interested in recycling Printed circuit boards, Interco offers a variety of recycling services.

Importance of Computers and Electronics Recycling

Importance of Computers and Electronics Recycling

As eWaste continuously grows exponentially worldwide, computers and electronics recycling occupies the bulk of this category. The environmental impacts of computers and electronics recycling raised several concerns in different societies. Computers and Electronics Recycling is here to stay. Many states have recycling programs.

Computer and electronics parts make up a good deal of the sourcing of ferrous and non-ferrous metals. Some include traces of precious metals, resins as well as elements of lead, cadmium, mercury, silicon, and other materials.  Especially relevant, recyclers process these by-products and recycle them for manufacturing use.

Computer and Electronics recycling possesses numerous benefits both to mankind and to the environment. Some of these benefits include:

  1. Reduces Environmental Pollution: Computer and electronics recycling helps reduce toxic waste which would have otherwise polluted the environment.
  2. Raw Materials for Industries: Recyclers use the materials recovered from the recycling process such as gold and silver, to manufacture other products.
  3. Source of funds: It provides a means to turn unwanted computers and electronics into money.

Steps in Computer and Electronics Recycling Process

The process of computer and electronics recycling involves some basic steps summarized below:

Importance of Computers and Electronics Recycling
CD Drives-2

Collection and Pre-Processing

  • Step 1 – Collection: This involves going around to homes and offices to collect these unused computers and electronics. Depending on the recycling company, the owners of the eWaste charge the recycling company a little amount. In some cases, these companies charge the owners of the wastes for disposal of their wastes products. Some computer and electronics manufacturing dealers exchange old computers for new ones at very low cost.
  • Step 2 – Sorting: After collecting these waste computer and electronics products, recyclers manually sort the material in to categories. Next, the material enters the manufacturing processes. Finally, they separate the electronics with cathode ray tubes in them from those that do not.
  • Step 3 – Testing: Upon completion of the sorting process, technicians test the material to determine whether they have potential to be reused. If a computer is not fully degraded, it can be repaired and resold. Some are refurbished and donated to charity organizations where they are needed.

The Manual Work

Importance of Computers and Electronics Recycling
Importance of Computers and Electronics Recycling
  • Step 4 – Manual Disassembly: After the testing process is completed, electronics and computers that cannot be refurbished are then disintegrated into their different parts. They often resell functional components to second-hand resellers or back to the manufacturer. Computer and electronics recycling  companies further separate the components into ferrous and non-ferrous metals as well as cathode ray tubes.
  • Step 5 – Destruction of Data: When facilities complete the disassembly, they remove the data in components such as memory cards and completely destroy the hard drives. Accordingly, they process the components to form aluminum ingots which can be useful in the automotive industry.
  • Step 6 – Separation: Once they destroy the data, they shred the materials into a composite. Furthermore, they pass the debris and utilize special techniques to recover valuable components. They use smelting for the recovery of special metals like gold.
  • Step 7 – Reuse: After they complete the separation, they send the different types of materials to secondary recyclers. They take the metal to the metal recycler to produce steel and other useful products. As a result, processing plants recycle the plastics. CRT glass undergoes a different kind of recycling process to remove lead. Companies sell this material to other downstream recycling companies who extract the glass for reuse.

Most noteworthy, computer and electronics recycling is a necessary process for every society to adopt. It helps in the reduction of environmental degradation and provides relevant resources for the production process. Therefore, nobody can overlook the great impacts of computer and electronics recycling. Finally, there are events specifically pertaining to computer and electronics recycling. Contact Interco here.

Electronics and Precious Metal Recycling

Electronics and Precious Metal Recycling

Since 1996, Interco has been a Electronics and Precious Metal Recycling leader. Most noteworthy, the company provides customized recycling services to dealers, brokers, and dismantlers. Furthermore, it services government organizations, schools, industrial generators and OEMs.

For outright sales or refining of precious metal bearing circuit boards, metallic or residues, Interco accommodates a broad client base. As large volume buyers of precious metal bearing circuit boards, Interco has established long term relationships with smelters across the globe. As a result, this competitive advantage affords the firm the ability to guarantee the clients’ downstream accountability.

Interco was the second company in the world to receive R2v3 certification. The R2 standard promotes responsible recycling. As a result, the business regularly audit our downstream vendors all the way to the end consumers, using the R2v3 standard. As a result, this assures that our suppliers of the compliance and integrity of our downstream vendors.

Electronics and Precious Metal Recycling Volume and Velocity

Of the 22-million pounds of Electronics and Precious Metal Recycling material Interco processes each month, the majority consists of nonferrous industrial metals. However, Interco recycles more than a thousand metric tons of computers, electronics, and telecommunications equipment each month as well.

Items With Precious Metal

Electronics and Precious Metal Recycling
  1. Hard Drive Boards
  2. Motherboards
  3. Power Boards
  4. Server Motherboards
  5. Telecom Boards
  6. HG Boards

Interco buys material to be recycled from the four corners of North and Central America as well as islands in the Caribbean. The increasing transportation costs often pose a challenge when trying to recycle material great distances away. In spite of this, the organization continues to grow and prosper.

 

Different Packages of Precious Metal Recycling

Electronics and Precious Metal Recycling

Interco builds specific Electronics and Precious Metal Recycling packages to be delivered to industrial consumers. Furthermore, these end-users include such as mills, ingot makers, smelters, and refineries in the continental United States and overseas. The staff repackages some of the material in its existing form, while they disassemble some material and de-mill others. Consequently, machines shred other material in to smaller pieces depending on the requirements of the end users. No matter what, they process each item using the safest strategic techniques in the industry.

Material is packaged in a variety of methods and containers:

  • Bales
  • Stretch-Wrapped Pallets
  • Cardboard Gaylord Boxes
  • IBC Totes
  • Metal Bins
  • Wooden Crates
  • 55-Gallon Drums
  • 5-Gallon Buckets

Recycling White Metals: The Process

Recycling White Metals

Recycling White Metals: The Process

Recycling white metals is one of the most practiced types of recycling. White metals are white or silvery alloys, especially tin-based alloys usually used for the surfaces of bearings. These alloys may contain tin, cadmium, zinc, lead, and bismuth. They are Babbitt metals with low melting points.

Manufacturers use white metals for producing:

White metals are common choices for the production of modern jewelry i.e. rings. They have high market value over gold or rosy metals. This is because silvery-white metals compliment skin tone and are timeless, unlike the gold alloys. Examples of white metals are: tin, silver, white, gold, nickel, lead, and iron.

Recycling White Metals: The Process

White metals are powerful conductors of heat and electricity and they are also known to be powerful amplifiers. This now explains why silver is the best conductor. White metals are also non-ferrous metals—They don’t have magnetic features. Their alloys are soft, ductile but tough. They also have a high coefficient of friction.

Recycling of White Metals

Recycling White Metals: The Process

Recycling white metals is usually performed by professional recyclers. These recyclers buy white metal scraps from scrap yards, processes and recycle them. Recyclers recycle white metals in a similar way that metals are generally recycled. They subject the metals to immense heat temperature that is above their melting point and they are cast into molds. Recycling white metals is essential so that they process the scraps into new metals of better quality. The most common use of white metals is in the manufacture of bearings.

Examples of the items that use bearings are: gearboxes, air planes, turbines, pumps, compressors, fans, etc.

Recycling White Metals: The Process

Prior to this list, the need for recycling white metals is essential so that manufacturers can manufacture these devices. Also, recycling these worn out or outdated devices help protect the natural source of white metals from being total depletion.

How to Recycle White Metals

Recycling White Metals: The Process

Recycling white metals is straightforward without much complexity. Recyclers like Interco specialize in recycling white metals and its scraps for further use and processing.

The following steps involved in recycling white metals are:

  1. The recyclers collect or buy the scraps of white metals from scrap yards or deposits.
  2. A metal shredder shreds the white metals into smaller pieces.
  3. Then, they transport these shreds into a furnace. However, white metal alloys don’t have high melting points. The temperature should be set a little above their melting points i.e. 350◦C. This is to ensure uniformity in the molten state.
  4. They mix a few additives i.e. chemicals to improve its quality.
  5. Next, recyclers cast the molten white metal into mold or ingots and leave to cool.
  6. They will transport these casts to manufacturing or industrial companies for further processing.

 

Conclusion

The application of white metals today may not be outspoken, but it is indeed important for the possibility of many inventions. Furthermore, recycling white metals properly helps reduce pollution by preventing it from ending up in a landfill. Also, recycling white metals helps provide job opportunities for prospective recyclers.

Recycling Scrap Red Metals, Metallics, Residues, and Drosses

Recycling Scrap Red Metals, Metallics, Residues, and Drosses

Recycling Scrap Red Metals, Metallics, Residues, and Drosses

Recycling Scrap Red Metals makes for a great conversation. Scrap metals are very much recyclable. Because of how recyclable they are, it makes them valuable when Recycling Red Metals, Metallics, Residues, and Drosses.

Recycling scrap copper or brass is basically the systematic collection of red metals, residues and drosses that exist at the end of their useful life. When Recycling these industrial Red Metals, recyclers sort the nonferrous scrap by quality and copper content. In addition, they are alloys and are termed red metals because of their similar reddish color characteristic and copper content.

Why are They Valuable?

Recycling this sort of metal can be done repeatedly without any alteration of their intrinsic properties. Especially relevant examples of these scrap red metal, metallics, residues and drosses and why they are valuable:

  • Copper: This industrial metal resists corrosion and demonstrates highly malleable characteristics such as being durable and having high thermal and electrical properties. Cable and electronic equipment manufacturers use computer materials. These properties make their scraps valuable.
  • Bronze: This red metal is an alloy of copper and other metallic materials. aluminum. It possesses similar properties with copper. Its scraps refined and used to make medals, musical instruments and other hardware materials.
  • Brass: The combination of copper and zinc make up this red metal alloy. The amount of zinc present depends on the value of its scrap because more zinc content means less ductility which decreases its value to the electronic industries despite its elevated intrinsic value.

The Process of Recycling Scrap Red Metals

Recycling Scrap Red Metals, Metallics, Residues, and Drosses

Four main steps comprise the process of recycling scrap red metals. Recycling scrap red metals involve four main steps:

  1. Collection: First of all, collectors gather the various red metal scraps. Certain manufacturing companies buy these scraps. They buy it from people who sell their worn out equipment, parts, or instruments. These items often contain red metal. This process of buying is the collection process. Accordingly, one of the largest source of red metals represent materials made of copper i.e. connecting wires.
  2. Sorting: The process of recycling scraps red metals takes off after collection. Consequently, the recycling facilities sort the collected scraps. They sort primarily according to their quality (intrinsic values). Recyclers separate the pure copper from its alloys (i.e. brass, bronze etc.). Processors then use magnets and optical color differentiation sensors and discern the red metal type. After this, they often deliver the material to a metal shredder to prepare it for the next step.
  3. Melting and Purification: Furthermore, another step is deployed after this material has been successfully collected and sorted. They then subject it to to high temperatures so they can melt and purify the metal and extract the copper. The purification ensures the metal is free of contaminants. This process ensures the metal becomes high-quality.
  4. Solidifying: Finally, after the scraps have been melted and purified, factories cast them into shapes in its molten state depending on their purpose and leave them to dry.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the need for recycling scrap red metal is imperative as it is more economical for the manufacturing industries than buying raw materials as well as helping the environment. Interco has been Recycling Scrap Red Metal, Metallics, Residues, and Drosses since 1996.

Industrial Scrap

Recycling Industrial Scrap Metal

Interco provides comprehensive industrial recycling services to manufacturers, distributors, ITAD, asset management professionals, and warehousing and logistics companies throughout North America. As a result, each solution is customized to produce the results required by our customer to meet our customers’ needs.

Industrial verticals include:

Industrial Recycling Services
Industrial Recycling Services
  • IT Asset Disposition (ITAD) Managers
  • Auto Parts Manufacturers
  • Utilities Companies
  • Consumer Electronics Distributors
  • Rolled Metal & Coil Producers
  • Medical Products & Film

There are a number of industries that Interco serves well. Accordingly, the number of items within each field make an exhaustive read. Therefore, it is important that the company investigate every piece of material to determine whether it qualifies as recyclable. In addition, the firm must determine if there exists enough value to warrant recycling. Hence, each Interco team member must understand both the intrinsic value of something as well as the cost to recycle it. Therefore, Interco provides necessary training to its team members.

 

Additional Materials:

Industrial Recycling Services
  1. Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) Processors
  2. Government Treatment Centers
  3. Gun and Rifle Ranges
  4. Solar Energy Plants
  5. Secondary Smelters & Refineries
  6. Battery Manufacturers
Industrial Recycling Services

Professionals from Interco visit distributors and industrial manufacturers to coordinate recycling efforts. Most noteworthy, the goal is to streamline the process to maximize efficiency and provide a turnkey recycling solution. In addition, by observing existing workflow, interviewing key operators and decision makers, and developing a structure around the goals and needs of our customer, Interco can best coordinate the movement of material to be recycled throughout the supply chain. As a result, we help businesses recoup losses in environmental fees and offset costs of purchasing new equipment through sensible recycling.

In conclusion, Interco understands the demands its customers face while working hard to operate efficiently. Accordingly, the team fully comprehends the importance of helping its suppliers remain profitable and meet growing stringent environmental guidelines. Most of all, as a certified ISO 14001 company, Interco specializes in helping its partners improve resource efficiency, reduce waste and drive down costs through carefully crafted statements of work and efficient workflow analysis.

Processing and Repackaging

Processing and Repackaging

Interco offers more than Industrial Recycling services. We offer various professional services including Processing and Repackaging, Recycling, Processing, Repackaging, Aggregating, Trading and Consulting. What we do: we cater to industrial and dealer clients. Consequently, we are not open to the public.

Recycling

Interco provides recycling processing and repackaging services to industrial accounts and government organizations throughout the continental United States. We also cater to companies throughout North, Central and South America. Interco specializes in the packaging and placement of refinery- and smelter-ready materials throughout the world. Interco leverages decades-long partnerships with end-consumers in the United States, Europe, South America, and Asia. As a result, Interco adds value and creates benefits while helping to minimize the world’s carbon footprint.

Processing

First of all, the Interco facility is located just outside of St. Louis in Madison, Illinois. As a result, Interco provides the processing and repackaging of a wide-range of metals and consumer electronics. This material is segregated, graded, and repackaged to best suit the needs of end-consumers – smelters, refineries, and ingot makers – worldwide. Interco specializes in processing and repackaging complex raw materials, slags, skimmings, dross, powders, dusts and other industrial residues.

Processing and Repackaging

Interco repackages traditional grades of non-ferrous metals:

  • copper
  • brass and bronze
  • aluminum
  • lead
  • zinc
  • nickel
  • tin

Balers compress this material in to bales. In addition, Interco packs material in large corrugated pallet boxes often referred to as gaylords. Furthermore, the team utilizes the likes of bulk bins, flexible intermediate bulk containers (FIBC), and bulk bags for transport to end-consumers worldwide. Similarly, Interco bulk loads ocean freight containers with items such as:

  1. Electric Motors
  2. Sealed Units & Compressors
  3. Automotive Parts
  4. Copper
  5. Electronics

Aggregating

Interco aggregates various forms of metals, consumer products and electronics from dealer suppliers in to like kind and commodities. Likewise, Interco processes the materials in the 150,000+ square foot recycling facility. We sort some material indoors and separate the rest in the remaining 20-acre campus. Every item must be received, separated, sorted, graded, cleaned (if need be), processed, and repackaged as specified by the Interco partner end-consumers. The importance of detail in aggregating cannot be overstated. That is what we do.

Trading

In addition, Interco takes physical delivery of materials for processing and repackaging at the Interco Midwest recycling and distribution facility. Interco operates a commodity trading division on site as well. First of all, the experienced Interco traders facilitate the export or delivery of materials directly to end-consumers around the globe. Although the trading of nonferrous metals represents just under ten percent of the operations at Interco, Interco maintains an international presence. Customers, traders and suppliers alike benefit from strong national and international relationships cultivated since the company’s inception in 1996.

Consulting

In addition, the Interco team also offers industrial recycling consulting and supply chain services. Most noteworthy, professionals from Interco visit distributors and industrial manufacturers to coordinate recycling efforts. Consequently, the goal is to streamline the process to maximize efficiency and provide a turnkey solution. Interco coordinates the movement, processing and repackaging of recyclable material throughout the supply chain.

Nonferrous Metal Scrap

Recycling Nonferrous Scrap Metal

Nonferrous Metal Recycling

Interco specializes in Nonferrous Metal Recycling. As a result, the company buys, processes, trades and recycles a broad range of non-ferrous metals. In addition, the firm processes minerals and industrial byproducts for non-ferrous metals recycling.

It is important to note that Interco is a leading North American nonferrous metal recycling company located just across the River from St. Louis in Madison, Illinois.

Nonferrous Metal Recycling Since 1996

Most noteworthy, since 1996 Interco has been a stalwart in nonferrous metal recycling. Consequently, the team works with dealers and industrial partners throughout North America as well as Central and South America. Interco buys, processes, trades and recycles a broad range of non-ferrous metals. As a result, the team processes minerals and industrial byproducts including:

Nonferrous Metal Recycling

Interco remains a large volume buyer of all grades of Copper/Iron scrap. Especially relevant, they always buy:

  1. Electric Motors
  2. Shredded Electric Motors
  3. Sealed Units
  4. Transformers
  5. Automotive Parts (Alternators, Starters, Radiators, Compressors, Solenoids, Armatures, Rotors, Stators, Wheels, Lead Wheel Weights, Transmissions, etc.)
  6. Copper & Brass Bimetals

In 1996 Interco was founded as a computer, electronics and precious metals recycler. In 2005 in response to many suppliers’ requests and as an answer to the growing market need, Interco entered nonferrous metal recycling after nearly ten years as a major international recycler.

INTERCO BUYS NON-FERROUS METALS

Red Metals such as:

Nonferrous Metal Recycling

Interco recycles Bare Bright, #1 Copper, #2 Copper, Red Brass, Semi-Red Brass, Yellow Brass Solids and Turnings, Brass Shells, and Auto Radiators can be recycled. Interco also processes Air Conditioners, #1 Insulated Wire, #2 Insulated Wire, 2-In-1 Wire, BX Cable, URD Wire, Copper-Clad Wire, Harness Wire, Christmas Lights, Computer Wire, Copper Yokes.

Copper/Iron Metals such as:

Many types of Electric Motors, Large Electric Motors, Sealed Units, Ballasts, HID Ballasts process very smoothly. Interco also handles Cast Iron Compressors, Transformers, Welder- and Battery-Chargers, Copper-Bearing Material (CBM), Alternators, Starters, AC Compressors.

White Metals such as:

Nonferrous Metal Recycling

Old Sheet, Cast Aluminum, Painted Siding, MLC, UBC’s, 10/10 Extrusions, Litho, EC Wire, Aluminum Turnings, C&D, Aluminum Breakage, as well as Aluminum Foil can be recycled. The company also recycles Aluminum Screens, Transmissions, 356 Aluminum Wheels, Truck Wheels, and Chrome Wheels. Interco is a proud member of  ISRI the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries.

The firm processes thousands of pounds of ACSR Wire, Electric Meters, Gas Meters, Water Meters, Oxygen Tanks, Cable TV boxes, Bare ATV, Insulated CATV wire and cable, Old Zinc Die Cast, Stainless Steel Solids and Turnings.

Leads such as:

The main leads Interco recycles include Clean Soft Lead, soft- and hard- Mixed Leads, Indoor and Outdoor Range Lead, Wheel Weights, Lead Shot, Lead-Acid Batteries, Steel-Cased Batteries all all recycled.

INTERCO RECYCLES COMPUTERS & ELECTRONICS

Components such as:

Aluminum cans being recycled

Adapters with and without cords, CD-ROM and Floppy Drives, Consumer Electronics, Docking Stations, and PC Fans can be recycled. Interco also recycles Hard Drives (with and without boards) that can be whole, bent, punched, or shredded. Other items including Keyboards, Networking Items such as Modems, Routers, and Switches. Interco also recycles Phones, Power Supplies (with and without cords), Printers, Copiers, and Fax Machines. Although Interco does not shred in house, Interco buys Shredded Hard Drives (with and without boards) and UPS (with or without batteries) as well.

Ballasts (non-PCB, electronic, and HID), Capacitors, Heat sinks, Wire such as CAT5, Computer, Ribbon/Flatwire, Copper or Aluminum Degaussing Wire.

Printed circuit boards to be recycled

Consumer Electronics Batteries such as:

Absolyte cells or steel-cased, Alkaline, steel-cased or sealed Lead-Acid, Lithium-Ion, Lithium Primary Non-Rechargeable, and All Types of NiCad Batteries. Interco recycles many batteries.

Complete Computer Units such as:

Computer Towers and Servers, Laptops, Monitors & CRT TVs, LCD Monitors & Televisions broken or in working condition, Boards & Precious Metal can be recycled. Interco also recycles Cell Phones, CRT Boards from monitors.  Accordingly, the firm recycles televisions as well. Interco processes Fingerboards, PCI cards from Computers, Hard Drive Boards, Gold and Silver Memory, Motherboards, Powerboards, Server Boards, Small-Socket Server Motherboards.

Why Is Recycling Metal Better Than Mining?

Why Is Recycling Metal Better Than Mining?

Mining is thе рrосеѕѕ оf оbtаining  minеrаlѕ frоm a mine. Whereas recycling metal is extremely important, еѕресiаllу in thiѕ day and аgе when the рlаnеt Earth iѕ оn аn irrеvеrѕiblе dесlinе. Nеvеr has recycling metal been more imроrtаnt аnd in уеаrѕ to соmе it might bесоmе imреrаtivе. Before delving into whу recycling is ѕо imроrtаnt, lеt uѕ briеflу discuss whаt recycling metal is. Tесhniсаllу, recycling metal iѕ a рrосеѕѕ оf rе-mаnufасturing оr reusing mаtеriаlѕ thаt hаd already bееn uѕеd in manufacturing ѕоmе products and hаvе bееn uѕеd for thе intеndеd рurроѕеѕ.

In general, recycling metal iѕ a рrосеѕѕ thаt invоlvеѕ uѕing waste mаtеriаlѕ оr рrоduсtѕ that have аlrеаdу served thеir рurроѕеѕ аnd аll thеѕе mаtеriаlѕ are uѕеd in vаriоuѕ wауѕ tо mаkе new рrоduсtѕ. At timеѕ, the products made frоm ѕuсh mаtеriаlѕ, knоwn аѕ rесусlеd materials, mау nоt be new but they may ѕtill serve a certain set оf рurроѕеѕ. Tурiсаllу, wаѕtе mаtеriаlѕ оr used products аrе оbtаinеd by rесусlеrѕ and thеn thоѕе mаtеriаlѕ are brоkеn down оr ѕераrаtеd tо segregate every itеm which was uѕеd tо mаkе that рrоduсt.

Thеn, thе itеmѕ or mаtеriаlѕ thаt саn bе used аrе uѕеd tо mаkе products. Fоr instance, paper can bе recycled tо make paper оr rеlаtеd products. Mеtаl can bе recycled to make mеtаlliс рrоduсtѕ. Plastic cannot bе rесусlеd but fiber рlаѕtiс mау still be uѕеd оr recycled fоr mаking similar оr nеw рrоduсtѕ.

Recycling metal iѕ important for the рlаnеt, fоr mаnkind and it hаѕ есоnоmiсаl ѕignifiсаnсе аѕ wеll. Recycling is gооd for thе рlаnеt. Pареr comes frоm trееѕ, whereas mеtаlѕ аnd minerals are оbtаinеd frоm mine. Almоѕt everything оrgаniс or nаturаllу аvаilаblе iѕ еxрlоrеd in the рlаnеt; although, much is minеd оr еxсаvаtеd. Thuѕ, thеrе is a depletion of that nаturаl rеѕеrvе. Frоm thе lithium thаt iѕ uѕеd in mоbilе рhоnе batteries to thе glаѕѕ panels uѕеd in соmmеrсiаl buildingѕ, еvеrуthing hаѕ a finitе ѕоurсе. Thеrе is nо endless supply оf аnуthing.

Rесусlеd Metals

Why Is Recycling Metal Better Than Mining?

Thе еxсеѕѕivе uѕе of mеtаlѕ has been саuѕing a grеаt threat tо оur еnvirоnmеnt since mаnу уеаrѕ. Thе intrоduсtiоn оf Mеtаl Recycling metal hаѕ come uр a ray оf hope under thiѕ ѕituаtiоn. Almоѕt еvеrу scrap metal is now rесусlеd in оrdеr tо eliminate thе uѕаgе of the оriginаl metals; which аrе scarce аnd tеnd to diѕturb thе bаlаnсе оf the еnvirоnmеnt.

You саn find diffеrеnt types оf mеtаlѕ in the fоrm of scrap; whether, in уоur оwn hоmе  ѕuсh аѕ соmрutеr раrtѕ, еlесtriсаl appliances and more. The mоѕt imроrtаnt point rеlаtеd to the recycling of a mеtаl iѕ that thе ԛuаlitу of thе metal tо bе rесусlеd should be excellent. Onlу if thе ԛuаlitу of thе оriginаl mеtаl iѕ gооd, уоu саn асtuаllу еxресt tо rесеivе  good rесусlеd mеtаls. Dоn’t lеаvе аnу ѕtоnе unturnеd in determining thе quality of the rесусlеd metals offered to thеm.

A Shortage, Maybe?

Duе tо Mеtаl Recycling, no industry tоdау еvеr hаѕ tо face the problem оf ѕhоrtаgе оf precious mеtаlѕ such аѕ сорреr, аluminum, brаѕѕ, gоld, ѕilvеr etc. Sсrар Mеtаl Recycling has hеlреd in transforming the оthеrwiѕе wаѕtеd rеѕоurсеѕ intо thе rаw mаtеriаlѕ; whiсh асtuаllу fuеl the glоbаl mаnufасturing supply chain.

Today, there аrе thousands оf соmраniеѕ whiсh аrе еngаgеd in recycling metal every kind of metal. Thеѕе соmраniеѕ оn an аvеrаgе recycle more than 81.4 million tоnѕ оf irоn and steel, 1.8 milliоn tоnѕ of сорреr, 4.5 milliоn tons оf аluminum аnd аrоund 1.4 millions tons оf stainless steel еvеrу уеаr.

The World Recycles

Why Is Recycling Metal Better Than Mining?

The еntirе рhеnоmеnоn оf sсrар metal recycling metal has асtuаllу ѕuрроrtеd thе world’s есоnоmу and trаdе industry. It hаѕ contributed grеаtlу tоwаrdѕ rеѕоurсе ѕuѕtаinаbilitу. Becasue mеtаl rесусlеrѕ rесусlе fеrrоuѕ mеtаlѕ ѕuсh аѕ ѕtееl and iron, this is important. Today Metal Recycling  and the metal Induѕtrу hаѕ become hi-tech. Furthermore. it employs thousands of еmрlоуееѕ. Consequently, many of them arе engaged in converting ѕсrар mеtаlѕ intо uѕеful mеtаlѕ. As a result, one of thе major advantages оf ѕсrар mеtаl recycling iѕ that thiѕ рrосеѕѕ саn bе undеrtаkеn fоr a mеtаl аnу number оf timеѕ; withоut diѕturbing thе оriginаl properties оf thе respective metal.

Aluminum аnd copper are the mоѕtlу recycled mеtаlѕ. Sсrар trading рrоfеѕѕiоnаlѕ асrоѕѕ the wоrld are buѕу in buуing аnd selling mеtаlѕ. Consequently, this scrap mеtаl thеn rеасhеѕ the recycling metal рlаntѕ whеrе it iѕ bеing rесусlеd in order tо fоrm new rаw mаtеriаl; which contains thе ѕimilаr properties аѕ thе оriginаl mеtаl. Aluminium ѕоdа саnѕ, аutо раrtѕ, windоwѕ, dооrѕ, tin саnѕ, bridgе parts, etc are thе products whiсh аrе recycled on a frеԛuеnt bаѕiѕ in order tо derive uѕеful mеtаlѕ.

Urban Mining

Why Is Recycling Metal Better Than Mining?

Sсrар Mеtаl Recycling nоt оnlу hеlрѕ in grоwing thе global manufacturing ѕuррlу сhаin but it аlѕо helps us in preserving our Mother Nаturе. Recycling metal helps in соnvеrting diѕсаrdеd metal рrоduсtѕ intо uѕеful rаw materials; whiсh would hаvе otherwise рlауеd a mаjоr rоlе in depleting thе earth’s nаturаl rеѕоurсеѕ. Therefore, thе use of rесусlеd metals can асtuаllу rеduсе CO2 emissions and аir pollution by great аmоuntѕ. It can also hеlр in lоwеring land аnd wаtеr pollution.

Urbаn Mining iѕ the рrосеѕѕ оf recycling metal соmроundѕ аnd еlеmеntѕ from еlесtrоniсѕ, buildingѕ, wаѕtе and so forth. These items would оthеrwiѕе be lеft tо dесоmроѕе in lаndfillѕ. Cоmрutеrѕ, рhоnеѕ аnd television ѕеtѕ thаt аrе nо longer nееdеd аrе thrоwn аwау to form moutains оf еWаѕtе. Thеѕе stacks оf eWaste will be ѕоrtеd thrоugh аnd their vаluаblе соntеntѕ аrе ѕtriрреd оff. Evеntuаllу they are rеfinеd to retrieve thе рrесiоuѕ metals аnd traces оf rаrе еаrth еlеmеntѕ inѕidе. “Urbаn mining” goes wау bеуоnd еlесtrоniсѕ. Evеrуthing thаt gоеѕ intо a lаndfill  саn bе tаkеn out. Yоu might nоt knоw it but thеrе are mаnу рrесiоuѕ minеrаlѕ thаt аrе riсhеr thаn any gоldminе, running thrоugh оur сitiеѕ frоm уоur cellphones, MP3 rаdiо рlауеr and ѕо fоrth.

Why Is Recycling Metal Better Than Mining?

Non Ferrous Metals

Nоn-fеrrоuѕ mеtаl is a metal, inсluding аllоуѕ, thаt does nоt соntаin iron in high amounts. Generally nоn-fеrrоuѕ metals аrе mоrе еxреnѕivе thаn fеrrоuѕ mеtаlѕ аnd nоnfеrrоuѕ mеtаlѕ аrе used bесаuѕе оf their  dеѕirаblе рrореrtiеѕ. These properties include lоw weight (е.g. aluminium), higher соnduсtivitу (е.g. copper), nоn-mаgnеtiс рrореrtу or rеѕiѕtаnсе to соrrоѕiоn (e.g. zinс). Sоmе nоn-fеrrоuѕ mаtеriаlѕ аrе аlѕо uѕеd in thе iron and ѕtееl industries.