Copper is a metal which can be recycled number of times. Earlier copper was used to make things like jewelry, metallic pieces, coins, cookware, weapons etc. Today it is widely used in wiring and piping needed for constructions. Copper piping is prized for its insulation ability, as well as its ability to transfer heat. It is a very important tool for anyone involved in the building trades. When copper is recycled it has many economic and environmental benefits like:

1. Environment: During the mining and refining process of copper, dust and waste gases are produced which are harmful; recycling of copper limits the production and emission of these harmful gases.

2. Landfill Costs: The objects made from copper or its alloys which are not recycled are dumped in holes in the ground- this is called landfill. These holes are filled rapidly as they become limited. This option of landfill is very expensive.

3. Energy Saving: The energy used to extract copper from copper ore is 100GJ/tone whereas in recycling process only 10GJ/tone is used. This leads to conservation of valuable resources like oil, gas, coal etc. Less amount of CO2 is released during the recycling process compared to that of during the extraction.

4. Economics: It is cheaper to recycle old copper than to mine and extract new one. Recycled copper is worth up to 90% of the cost of the original copper. Recycling helps keep cost of copper products down.