What Metals Are Recyclable? A Scrap Sorting Guide for Alberta Properties
Updated: Aug 18
Almost all metal is recyclable. The useful distinction is between ferrous metal, which contains iron and sticks to a magnet, and non-ferrous metal, which does not. Steel, cast iron, copper, aluminum, brass, stainless, lead, and zinc are all accepted for recycling in Alberta, and a magnet is the only tool you need to sort a pile into the two categories.
This question comes up constantly, usually while someone is standing in front of a pile they have been walking past for two years. A farm yard with old implements and fencing wire. A shop with a corner of offcuts. A job site with pipe, flashing, and cable tray stacked against a wall.
The good news is that sorting scrap metal is genuinely simple once you know the one rule that does most of the work. Here is how to sort a mixed pile on a property anywhere in Southern Alberta, and what to do with it once you have.
At a Glance: Scrap Metal Sorting
A magnet separates almost everything into ferrous and non-ferrous in one pass
Ferrous metals contain iron, stick to a magnet, and rust: steel, cast iron, rebar, structural beams
Non-ferrous metals do not stick, resist corrosion, and are usually lighter: copper, aluminum, brass, stainless, lead, zinc
Colour helps when a magnet is not to hand: reddish is copper, yellow is brass, pale and light is aluminum
Appliances and machinery are mixed by nature and are still collected as scrap
Keeping metal out of the general waste bin is the single most useful thing you can do
You do not have to sort perfectly, or at all, for Emro to collect it
What Is the Difference Between Ferrous and Non-Ferrous Metal?
Ferrous metals contain iron and stick to a magnet. Non-ferrous metals do not contain iron and do not stick. That single test sorts the large majority of any mixed pile.
Ferrous metal you are likely to have:
Steel: rebar, beams, framing, roofing sheets, fencing, appliances
Cast iron: bathtubs, stoves, old machinery housings, pipe
Vehicle and equipment parts: panels, frames, engine blocks, axles
Non-ferrous metal you are likely to have:
Copper: piping, wire, roofing, electrical fittings
Aluminum: siding, sheeting, frames and extrusions, ladders, patio furniture
Brass: fittings, valves, plumbing hardware, keys
Stainless steel: sinks, tanks, commercial kitchen equipment, food and ag processing gear
Lead and zinc: weights, flashing, gutters, battery casings
A note on stainless: some grades are mildly magnetic, so a weak pull is not proof you are holding plain steel. Colour and surface finish usually settle it.
How Do You Tell Metals Apart Without a Magnet?
Use rust, colour, and weight. Ferrous metal rusts, tends toward dark grey, and feels heavy for its size. Non-ferrous metal tarnishes rather than rusting, often has a distinct colour, and feels light.
Test | Ferrous | Non-Ferrous |
Magnet | Sticks to a magnet | Does not stick |
Rust | Rusts over time | Does not rust, may dull or tarnish |
Colour | Usually dark grey or dull silver | Reddish for copper, yellow for brass, pale for aluminum |
Weight | Heavy for its size | Lighter, aluminum noticeably so |
What Scrap Metal Turns Up on Alberta Farms and Job Sites?
On farms and rural properties, most of it is heavy ferrous material: old tractors, trailers, implements, scrap fencing and wire, gates, feed bins, silos, empty tanks, and workshop offcuts. Non-ferrous shows up in smaller quantities as wiring, brass fittings, and aluminum panels.
On construction and industrial sites the mix is different: steel offcuts and framing, structural steel, beams and rebar, roofing sheets, gutters and metal siding, pipe, ducting, and cable tray. The full list of what Emro accepts is on the what we accept page, and there is a fuller walkthrough in our guide to old farm equipment and scrap metal in Alberta.
What About Appliances and Mixed Materials?
They are still recyclable and Emro collects them. Fridges, stoves, washers, and dryers are mostly steel with copper wire and aluminum components inside, and they do not need to be taken apart before collection.
The same applies to machinery and industrial equipment, which is almost always a mix of ferrous and non-ferrous with some plastic and rubber attached. If something is a genuine mix of metal and other materials and you are not sure it is worth collecting, ask before you set it aside. Some items have restrictions or need special handling.
Why Is It Worth Sorting Scrap Metal Before Collection?
Sorted metal moves through the recycling stream properly, while metal buried in a mixed waste load often does not get recovered at all. Separation is the difference between material being recycled and material being landfilled.
Metal kept out of the general bin goes to a recycling facility rather than a landfill
Separated loads are quicker and safer to load, which matters on a working site
You free up general bin capacity for the waste that actually needs it
Knowing what is in the pile makes the collection conversation much shorter
That said, you do not need to strip wire, break down machinery, or sort a pile perfectly before calling. Our guide on how to prepare scrap metal for collection covers what is genuinely useful to do beforehand, and what happens to your scrap metal after collection explains where it goes next.
Real Scenarios
"There is a boneyard on the farm I have been ignoring for years."
Do not sort it item by item. Walk it, get a rough sense of the volume and whether anything is buried or seized into the ground, and call. Large ferrous loads are the straightforward case and the whole point of a collection service is that you do not handle it twice.
"My shop produces steel offcuts and copper scrap every week."
Two containers, one for ferrous and one for non-ferrous, set up at the start. Sorting at the moment the offcut hits the floor takes no extra time. Sorting a mixed pile three months later takes a day.
"I am clearing a property and there is metal mixed into everything."
Pull the obvious metal into its own staging area as you go and leave the rest for the general bin. Perfect separation is not the goal. Keeping the bulk of the metal out of the mixed load is.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is rusty metal still recyclable?
Yes. Surface rust is normal on ferrous scrap and does not stop it being recycled. Heavily deteriorated material that has been sitting in soil for decades is still collected, though it can be harder to lift out cleanly.
Do I need to separate ferrous from non-ferrous myself? Do I need to separate ferrous from non-ferrous myself?
No. It helps, particularly on larger or ongoing volumes, but Emro collects mixed loads and handles the sorting afterwards.
Can scrap metal go in a regular rental bin?
Metal can go into a mixed bin, but on any site producing a real volume of it, a separate container keeps the recycling stream clean and frees up bin space.
What about wire with insulation still on it?
Insulated copper wire is accepted, and Emro offers wire processing for larger quantities to help maximise recycling value. You do not need to strip it yourself.
Do I have to haul the metal anywhere?
No. Emro collects, loads, and transports scrap metal from your property, including large equipment and difficult access locations.
Is there a minimum amount for a collection?
It depends on the material and where you are, particularly for remote locations. Describe what you have and where it is, and we will tell you straight whether it is worth a trip.
Scrap Metal Collection Across Calgary and Southern Alberta
Emro collects, sorts, and transports ferrous and non-ferrous scrap metal from construction sites, businesses, farms, and homes across Southern Alberta. Based in Calgary, we cover urban job sites, rural farm properties, and remote locations that most companies will not service. If you are not sure whether something in the pile counts, just ask.
Contact Emro
Phone: +1 587 955 1492
Email: info@emrometal.com
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