Environmental Advantages of Aluminum
What does Toronto Deck and Rail do with the leftover scrap aluminum?
Aluminum railings are manufactured by simply molding the aluminum to a specific shape, otherwise known as aluminum extrusion. Aluminum extrusion can be very easily recycled. We bring all of our excess aluminum to a local scrap yard, where it can be processed. This ensures that the aluminum is not being dumped in a landfill, not to mention aluminum extrusion is quite valuable!
Is the coating on the railings bad for the environment?
No. Powder-coating has many benefits including strength, longevity and low environmental impact. Unlike paint, powder coating is non- toxic and does not release VOC’s into the atmosphere. The process itself produces very minimal waste and can be recycled.
How does the aluminum recycling process work?
Once collected, the aluminum scrap is sorted to remove any impurities. It is then melted down to be cast in to aluminum extrusion. Scrap aluminum can be obtained directly from a process, such as excess pieces of sheet metal, or as old scrap metal used by a consumer. Aluminum recycling is much more efficient than creating new aluminum. The creation of new aluminum is a complex and large-scale process that uses large amounts of energy and mining resources.
I have an old iron railing, can it be recycled?
Yes, iron railings can be recycled. Iron is commonly melted and re-used in the construction industry. It can be isolated from other metals, as it is magnetic.