2 Reasons Why You Should Recycle Your Industrial Plant's Old Transformers
When you own or operate a large industrial plant, transformers are vital for keeping the power on. However, once one of these units is no longer operational, you may be wondering how to handle its disposal after you replace it with a new one.
If you have found yourself in this situation, you should seriously consider recycling the unit instead of stowing it away or taking it to a landfill. There are a couple of reasons why you should take the transformer to a recycling service for processing and disposal.
1. They Contain Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) That Are Toxic to the Environment
One reason why you should always recycle old transformers is that they contain toxic chemicals known as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). These chemicals are found in the coils and are designed to be stable enough to not break down easily in high temperatures or pressure.
Unfortunately, this quality also means that they do not break down quickly if they leak out into the surrounding environment. Once they have caused the contamination, they severely damage the ecosystem.
The contaminants also cause serious health issues, such as cancers of the liver, kidneys, and brain. When you have the transformer recycled, the service will safely extract the chemical to ensure that it does not have an adverse impact.
2. They Contain Precious Nonrenewable, Metals That Can Be Processed and Reused
Another reason why you should recycle your old transformer is that it contains precious, nonrenewable metals. Such metals as copper, aluminum, and zinc were used in its construction to keep it sturdy as well as enhance its ability to conduct electricity.
Since these metals have a vast variety of uses but cannot be renewed, recycling them helps to keep costs down on other products while slowing down the depletion of the metals. When you take the transformer to be recycled, these metals are stripped from the unit so that they can be cleaned and processed for use.
When transformers are no longer operational, taking them to be recycled allows for the nonrenewable metals to be removed and reused. Doing so also helps prevent the release of toxic PCBs into the surrounding environment that will damage the ecosystem and pose a serious health hazard to humans and wildlife. If you have one or more units that you need to dispose of, contact a company that offers transformer recycling services to find out what you need to do to dispose of them.
For more information about transformer recycling, contact a local company.