Here at Brass Tacks we pride ourselves on working with one of the most environmentally friendly metals in the world. Our brass grilles, stair nosing and frames are not only stylish and bespoke made, but they are all sustainable as well. So what is it about brass that makes it so environmentally friendly and sustainable?
Here we take a look at the make-up of brass and why it is so sustainable.
What is brass composed of?
Brass is the broad name given to a range of copper-zinc alloys that have differing combinations in their properties. These differing properties include factors such as:
- Strength
- Hardness
- Colour
- Antimicrobial
The composition of brass also means that it does not rust, although if it is not protected with a layer of lacquer or one of the many finishes available, brass may tarnish in certain conditions.
Why is brass sustainable?
The manufacture of brass right across the world is highly dependent on the recycling of scrap brass and copper. This makes brass one of the most recycled metals in the world. Much of this culture of recycling is driven by the fact the producing new / fresh brass is significantly more expensive and is therefore uneconomical to produce on large scale.
In addition, when comparing the recycle process of brass to that of other metals such as steel or aluminium, it can be seen that brass is significantly more energy efficient. Brass can be recycled many times over without diminishing the composition so it means that the recycling process can continue tie and again, thus making the metal highly sustainable.
Economic Benefits of Brass
There are a number of reasons why recycling brass has strong economic benefits. As has been mentioned above, the energy costs are lower than those of other metals and the cost of producing brass from the raw materials are also much higher than recycling. There is also another factor that should be taken into account, this being the money paid to those offering the metal for recycling.
This means that anyone that has access to the copper and brass will be able to make additional money from the sale of the metal recovered. This could include those in the construction or plumbing industries.
Go Green - or in this case brass
When considering the types of metals you can use in houses or businesses, many companies and individuals look to maintain their environmental and sustainability credentials. As this article has shown, there are many benefits, both environmentally and economically, for choosing brass over other less efficiently recycled metals.
As can be seen, it is worthwhile seeing how the use of brass for your next project could be beneficial to you and the environment. Please give us a call on 0208 866 8664 and we’ll be delighted to help you with your bespoke brass products.