September 25, 2025

Selecting the right container is the first step toward efficient, sustainable, and hassle-free scrap metal recycling. At Metalico, we offer a diverse lineup, from tug-worthy wagons and compact drums to industrial-strength roll-offs and lowboys. The right solution depends on your material type, volume, site access, and workflow. By understanding the strengths of each option, you can minimize costs, simplify logistics, and maximize your recycling returns.

Match Your Container to Your Material and Project Needs 

Every project has unique needs: small shops producing metal shavings, construction sites generating bulky beams, or industrial facilities handling mixed scrap. Steel or aluminum can be efficiently accommodated in wagons or lugger boxes, while sizable demolition material fits neatly into larger roll-off containers. For heavy, oversized scrap, lowboys deliver safe and stable transport. Metalico recognizes this diversity and guides customers, whether industrial, commercial, or residential, to the optimal container based on metal type, scale, and handling requirements.  

Container Options Tailored for Efficient Recycling

  • Wagons: Designed for mobility and ease, with standard and custom sizes on casters, perfect for scrap that needs to be moved around a shop floor. 
  • Lugger Boxes: Offered in sizes like 4, 12, or 22 cubic yards, ideal for turnings and dense materials. 
  • Roll-Off Containers: Available in a range from 15 to 40+ cubic yards, some with gasketed doors to contain liquids safely. 
  • Lowboys: Engineered for oversized or bulky pieces that require heavy-duty hauling. 
  • Drums, Tubs, and Gaylord Boxes: Offer compact, customizable containment for small-scale, turnings, or loose bulk. 
  • Custom Fabricated Containers: Built to specification for unique requirements, versatility that supports niche recycling needs.

How Container Choice Enhances Efficiency and Recycling Value 

Making a smart container choice improves operational workflow, reduces labor, and enhances safety. For instance, wheeled wagons simplify internal transport, while robust roll-offs expedite removal from demolition sites. Containers equipped to handle fluids—like gasketed roll-offs—help prevent spills and environmental hazards. Oversized scrap becomes manageable with lowboys, and smaller operations benefit from tubs or barrels that fit tight spaces. 

Metalico’s experienced team assesses each client's volumes, location constraints, and material types, then recommends containers that boost productivity, safety, and profitability. 

Optimize Your Recycling with Metalico’s Container Expertise 

Ready to elevate your scrap collection process? Metalico combines regional insight, flexible container options, and customer-driven guidance to help you choose containers that transform recycling from a challenge into a seamless operation. 

Whether you are handling industrial scrap, shop shavings, construction debris, or specialty metals, trust Metalico to match you with reliable, scalable, and efficient solutions; built to keep your materials moving and your returns growing. Give one of our locations a call or email us through our secure contact form to get started.