Ballasts are all over the place…you might not “see” them…but they help you see wherever you are. Inside all types of lights, there are different types of ballasts. From copper to electronic ballasts, they are all over the place and must be looked for when scrapping. There are a few different types of ballasts, and the best way to find out if your local scrap yard buys them is by stopping by and asking them.
Avoid PCB Ballasts When Scrapping
The worst type of ballast that you can have is a PCB ballast. These are very harmful to the environment, and many scrap yards will not want to buy or even take these in as scrap because they are tough to recycle correctly. There are companies out there that specialize in hazardous ballast recycling…but most of the time, they will not pay for the material but make you pay to get rid of them.
One thing that we do not recommend doing is throwing ballasts in with your steel piles. If you are not sure what type you have, you can take a picture and post it to our Facebook Group, where other scrappers will be able to help you out.
When you take apart commercial lights, you must contact your towns to find suitable days to recycle your bulbs and where to get rid of the plastic. But most of the light, from the wire to the steel casings (sometimes aluminum ones), can be recycled, and you can make a good penny!
