News

  • Small Business Recycling

    As a small business owner, you can create a revenue stream by recycling scrap metal. Here, we will break down what fits into that category and show you how you can maximize your return when you decide to make money recycling.

    First, let’s identify some common metals that can be recycled.

    • Ferrous Metals: Steel & Cast Iron
    • Non-Ferrous Metals:
    • Aluminum
    • Brass/Bronze
    • Copper
    • Copper Bearing, such as electric motors and transformers
    • Stainless Steel
    • Lead, including Lead-Acid Batteries
    • Zinc

    Did you know that steel is one of the most recycled materials on earth? The biggest reason is that we can recycle it many times without compromising the metal. Some examples of steel that you might find at your small business are galvanized sheet, doors, cutouts and punchings, old machinery, automotive parts, pipe, and structural steel.

    When selling your recyclable material, remember that non-ferrous metals are typically worth more than ferrous metals. Are you wondering if there is a quick and easy way to tell a ferrous metal from a non-ferrous metal? Use a magnet! If the magnet is attracted to it, it is a ferrous metal. On the other hand, if it does not stick to it, you have a non-ferrous metal. Common examples of non-ferrous metals would be copper, brass, aluminum and stainless steel. Always separate your metals the best you can to ensure you get the best return. When in doubt, talk to one of our knowledgeable staff; they can show you how to get the most revenue from your scrap.

    Aside from scrap metal providing an additional revenue stream, it benefits the environment. When scrap metal is recycled, it reduces the demand for newly mined metals. Recycling metal also reduces the risk of contaminating landfills with toxins such as mercury and lead. When this happens, it can compromise the land quality and pose a threat to wildlife and humans. 

    At Urbanmine, we know that owning your own business can be hectic, and we want to help you as much as we can! Our mobile purchasing service can come to your workplace, pick up your non-ferrous metals, and pay you on the spot. This service saves you the time and energy of having to deliver the material on your own. The urbanmine mobile service comes equipped with scales and friendly buyers. If it’s ferrous metal you have, contact our office. We have several options depending on the steel type, size and quantity.

    Whether you’re a tradesperson working on a job site; a farmer with scrap on the back 40; or a scrap collector – we welcome you to urbanmine with a smile, a clean yard, and a competitive price. If you have any questions or want to take advantage of our services, you can email us at info@urbanmine.ca or call 1-866-820-2786.

  • Tips to Make Money While Renovating

    There is no doubt renovating is time-consuming and expensive. So, we have gathered a few tips about what you can get money back on and how to do it. 

    COPPER

    Copper is a valuable metal commonly found when making home improvements, especially where electrical or plumbing work is involved. Copper is in high demand and becoming increasingly difficult to mine and find. This is why many recyclers will pay a premium price for the metal. 

    To get the most money from your copper wiring, you should be as prepared as possible before visiting the recycling centre. At Urbanmine, we will purchase copper wire with or without insulation. If you choose to do the extra work and remove the insulation, Urbanmine will pay a higher price per pound than if the insulation is left intact. If you have different types of wire, i.e. insulated or bare, heavy gauge or fine, with or without tin or enamel coating, it’s a good idea to sort them. Make sure any connectors or ends are removed and separate the wire into pails or boxes so the receivers can quickly grade them at the scale.

    You could also find yourself with scrap copper pipe after a bathroom or kitchen renovation. Ensure there is no plastic, wood, paper or other non-metallics on the tube. As long as the fittings are copper, they’re fine, but brass fittings may be graded differently, so keep those separate.

    BRASS

    Brass is another metal you may find while doing home renovations. Most plumbing fixtures, such as taps and faucets, contain brass. However, they likely have other metals, plastic, and rubber, that are either too difficult or not worth the time to remove, so we purchase them as Brass Breakage.

    STEEL

    Steel is lower in value than other metals but usually comes in larger quantities, so you can also see a healthy return if you recycle steel. You may ask yourself, ‘where would I find steel when I renovate my home?’ Some examples would be your appliances, hot water tank, furnace, steel studs and suspended ceiling grids.

    ALUMINUM 

    Aluminum is another material that can be recycled. You’ll find it in fixtures, doors, siding, eavestroughs, soffits and fascia. Even if you think the aluminum is not in good shape, it can still have value. You will receive the highest return on clean aluminum with no attached screws, plastic, or glass. But don’t toss away the dirty stuff! If you can’t clean it, we will purchase it dirty at a lower price. Be sure you have your clean and dirty aluminum sorted out before you drop them off. If you’re not sure if what you have is aluminum or steel, an excellent way to tell the difference between your materials is to use a magnet. A magnet will not stick to aluminum, only steel.

    This is just a starting point. Nearly anything you find in your home that’s made of metal can be recycled. At Urbanmine, we pay top dollar for your material. Our friendly and knowledgeable staff are happy to answer your questions and guide new customers through the recycling process. We strive to keep our yard clean and organized and pride ourselves on transparency. We want your visit to be a positive experience. If you have any questions, you can reach us at 204-774-0192.

    RESOURCES

    https://www.calgary.com/home-component-recycling-guide.php

    https://www.greenandprosperous.com/blog/5-things-to-do-with-recyclable-metal-after-a-home-remodel

  • How Residential Waste Drop Off Works at Urbanmine

    Did you know that Urbanmine accepts waste material from residential customers? We accept metals, electronics and batteries. We want the process to go as smooth as possible for you, so we have rounded up some tips and tricks that might help when you come to drop off your recyclable waste. 

    Before You Arrive

    Before you come to Urbanmine, you can do a few things to make the process of unloading your waste easier and less time-consuming. Sort your load according to the material that it is. If you are having trouble telling the difference between steel and other metals, use a magnet. If the magnet sticks to it, it is steel. 

    For metals like aluminum, stainless steel, copper and brass, you can maximize your return by removing steel screws and plastic insulation or attachments. Be sure to organize your load before you arrive by keeping each type of material together. For example, use boxes or pails to keep all your aluminum separate from your copper. 

    Once You Arrive

    If it is your first visit to our facility, you may want to check-in at our front office when you arrive. You will be greeted by our friendly and helpful team, who will point you in the right direction. Be prepared to tell them what you have on your load. If your load is primarily steel, we will direct you to drive slowly onto the truck scale. You will need to follow a set of traffic lights to enter and another to exit the scale. Once weighed, drive straight off the scale to the pile directly in front of you. Once you have unloaded, drive back onto the scale, following the traffic lights once again. After you have been weighed empty, park on the road and head to the entrance door under the ‘Scale Office’ sign. Be sure to bring your driver’s license to receive your payment. 

    If you have a smaller load of steel (less than 100 pounds), non-ferrous metal (i.e. not steel), or lead-acid batteries, we will direct you to the other side of the fence, where you can park in one of the customer stalls. Once parked, exit your vehicle and wait for a warehouse employee to come see what you have and bring you a pallet. Once you have unloaded onto the pallet, the operator will direct you to the entrance door and take your load into the warehouse where you will be able to see the weight of your material on the scale. Once everything is weighed, you will receive a scale ticket and be asked to proceed to the scale office with your driver’s license to receive your payment.

    Dropping Off E-Waste and Household Batteries 

    If you are dropping off e-waste such as old computers, TVs and stereos, you will be directed by our friendly team to a bin marked ‘Residential E-Waste’ located in the front parking lot, to the right of the main gate. There is no payment for e-waste, but we ensure it goes to a specialized e-waste recycler within Canada as part of the Provincial EPRA program.

    If you are dropping off household batteries, please put them in a small bag and drop them in the ‘Residential E-Waste’ bin as well. We accept single-use and rechargeable household batteries up to 11 pounds each. If you have lead-acid batteries, you will follow the same steps as you would with non-ferrous metals. Please note we do not accept electric/hybrid car batteries or lithium power sport batteries. 

    Scrap Vehicles

    You can drive or tow your vehicle to Urbanmine to be recycled. Be sure to remove all personal belongings and we ask that you bring the Transfer of Ownership (found on the back of the most recent registration) whenever possible. If you are driving the vehicle to be recycled, stop in, or call the office when you arrive so they know that is your intention. Just like other steel loads, you will proceed to the truck scale and follow the traffic lights. Once you have been weighed drive into the yard, where you will be instructed where to park or offload the vehicle. Tow trucks will need to scale out once off loaded. If you need to remove the license plate once the vehicle is in the yard, be sure to bring a screwdriver! Once the vehicle is dropped, head back to the scale office for payment.

    We Are Here to Help

    No matter what recyclable materials you bring to Urbanmine, our friendly and knowledgeable team will be there to answer any questions you might have. We will do everything we can to ensure you have a positive and profitable experience!

  • 10 Tips for a More Eco-Friendly Household

    Climate change is on everyone’s mind, and as we speak, all it takes is one quick Google search of “Australia fires,” and you can see how important this issue is. People’s interest in the climate vary from country to country, but a study in the Spring of 2018 (https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2019/04/18/a-look-at-how-people-around-the-world-view-climate-change/) had found that internationally, our concern has been on the rise year over year since 2013.

    We are all citizens of the world, and we are at a crossroads in history. It is imperative that we do more than recognize there is a problem; we must take action. Every little effort and step will lead us on a journey to a healthier planet and a less fateful future. 

    Today, we are looking at ten things that you can do to take action at home.

    10 Tips for Eco-friendly Living

    1. Using Reusable Grocery Bags

    There are no two ways about it; single-use plastic bags are one of the worst things for the environment. 99% of plastic bags are not recycled and end up in landfills, or worse, the ocean. Do your part, and have your family make the move to reusable grocery bags.

    2. The Case for Composting

    Roughly 40% of compost is made up of materials that would otherwise find their way into a landfill. Composting at home prevents creating more trash and the nutrient rich organic material it produces is great for your garden!

    (more…)

    Videos

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  • How to Be Lean Manufacturer with Urbanmine

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  • Old Parts New Starts for Habitat for Humanity

  • Urbanmine’s History

  • A-lu-mi-num Jingle

  • Dead Car, Good Deed

    Old Parts New Starts gets polluting cars off the road. Turns them into cash donations.

“I like the read-out scale. You can see it.”

— Don Zieglgansberger

Don's Salvage, Estevan, Saskatchewan

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“Extremely open and transparent.”

— Lise Baker

General Manager, Champ Industries

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“Concerned about the environment.”

— Lyndon Finney

Chief Financial Officer, Canadian Tool and Die

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“Big enough to handle our products.”

— Barry Fraser

Production Manager, Imperial Steel Products

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“Beautiful, clean... This is a scrap yard?”

— Terry MacLeod

CBC Radio Manitoba, Broadcast October 2009

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