Rottami

Rottami is the plural form of rottame in Italian and refers to scrap materials, especially metal leftovers produced by manufacturing, construction, or the end of a product’s life. In industry and commerce, rottami are collected, sorted, and sold as secondary raw material for recycling.

In recycling operations, rottami are gathered by collection centers and junkyards, then processed by removing contaminants, sorting by metal type, and converting into usable feedstock. Common streams include ferrous metals (iron and steel) and non-ferrous metals (aluminum, copper, zinc, lead, nickel). Processing may involve shearing, shredding, baling, and smelting, followed by refining to produce ingots or foundry-grade material. Vehicles at end of life are often dismantled at auto recycling facilities, where fluids are removed and the shell is crushed for metal recovery.

Rottami recycling has significant environmental and economic implications. Recycling metal reduces mining and energy use, lowers greenhouse gas emissions, and diverts waste from landfills. In Italy and the European Union, rottami management is regulated under waste and environmental law, with requirements for licensing, storage, transport, and safe handling of hazardous components.

Origin and usage: The term rottame derives from Italian for something worn or broken; rottami specifically denotes scrap metal and the broader sector surrounding its collection and recycling.