Electronics…The Newest Frontier For Recycling

As we have intensified our efforts to collect end-of-life electronics, we have marveled at the vast array of equipment that has been packed away in basements, warehouses and storage facilities all over the GTA. Word processors, typewriters, black and white televisions, stereo and high fidelity equipment, computers, beepers, telecommunications equipment, printers and other peripherals, clunky portable phones that weren’t very smart and the list goes on.

The amazing thing about all this ‘stuff’ is that when they were introduced to the world they were all applauded and widely accepted as true cutting edge technologies.

End-of-life electronics sorting and dismantling at our Oakville warehouse.

The Future Of Scrap Metal Recycling – A Global Perspective

All of us at Peel Scrap Metal like to take the time to talk with our customers. Some of us, because of the nature of our work, are less able to do this but our buyers and managers certainly always try to make a point of it.

Not only do we enjoy it, but these conversations help us to get a handle on what our customers think about our service, which helps us do a better job. We also enjoy it because it helps us get to  get to know our customers, and this is the key to helping provide them with useful information and sometimes to put them in touch with others.

The Good Old Penny..RIP Come This Fall

As anticipated in a post we did about a year ago, the federal government announced the demise of the penny in its March 2012 budget. In about six months from now, the Royal Canadian Mint will stop distributing the coin and they will be removed from circulation over time. There is no end date to the process so we can continue to use them and they will retain their value as long as they are around.

We are not alone in this exercise. There are quite a number of countries who have already stopped using their low value coins.

If You Think Of The Recycling Industry As Innovation Challenged…Please Think Again.

While there have been many new technologies introduced into the recycling industry over the past few decades, in this blog we want to highlight two recent exciting developments. One is in Canada and the other is in the U.S.

You can be forgiven if the patented process called reverse polymerization does not happen to be in your lexicon . We hadn’t heard of it either until someone brought it to our attention in connection with the various technologies being applied to the problem of recycling the 12 million plus end of life vehicle tires that are generated in Ontario each year.

Scales…One of Our Weighter Blog Posts, If You’ll Pardon The Pun

Easily the busiest pieces of equipment at any scrap metal recycling operation are the weigh scales. They provide the defining measurement for all material trading, both buying and selling.

There’s Nothing New About Scales.

The Egyptians were using scales more than 7000 years ago. Smart Egyptians.

Weigh scales date back to early Egyptian civilization. The earliest scales were found in an Egyptian grave and are at least 7000 years old. Modified and improved by many cultures over time they increasingly gained relevance with the introduction of the various media of exchange with fixed values. People needed to know the weight of a product in order to convert its value into currency.

The Fine Art of Zigging When The World Is Zagging.

What is it about October that seems to bring out the worst in the financial landscape?

The volatility in the markets has continued in force this week. At the time we are writing this blog, the  price of metals has taken a significant beating, including copper which has fallen about 25% over the last three weeks alone. Additionally, the Canadian dollar has been driven down about 10% against the U.S. currency since its peak in July and the Toronto Stock Exchange, with its heavy exposure to commodities, has dropped about 20% as the “bears” have come roaring back. Forecasters around the globe are busy re-forecasting economic growth and other important indicators.

We’re Proud To Be Adding Oakville To Our Community Based Business Model.

We’re very pleased to announce that we will be opening a new location in Oakville, Ontario later this month. This is an exciting project for us, as it will make it more convenient for all our Oakville based customers (individuals,  trades and industry) and, more importantly, it will strengthen our efforts to become a truly community-based service company.

Oakville is the ideal Canadian city, with a wonderful mix of old and new, a fabulous waterfront and a strong industrial and business base.

Oakville Is One Of Canada’s Most Desirable Cities.

Peel Is Getting Baghoused!

It’s Not as Scary As It Sounds

At the moment, we are in the process of installing new and very powerful air pollution control equipment at our wire processing facility.

Commonly referred to as a ‘baghouse’, this equipment is much more than a gigantic vacuum cleaner. Baghouse systems are specifically engineered and set up to manage different dust producing applications. Systems of this type are in use across a wide range of industries including: foundry and steel operations, pharmaceutical manufacturing, food manufacturing, and in the chemical, cement and lumber industries. In fact, many industrial processes can only operate with baghouse equipment in place.