Mississauga Metals and Alloys was established in 1978 with the mission of recycling Zirconium and Titanium Alloys. The company has been family owned and operated since that time, and continues to specialize in the handling of zirconium, titanium, hafnium, as well as niobium and molybdenum. MM&A is a leading supplier of prepared recycle products in the world, serving the nuclear, aerospace, and chemical industries. Please see specific information about these products on this website.

MM&A has two business segments that consist of two separate operations:

1) Processing scrap metals into usable clean recycle products:

• MM&A is a recycler of zirconium, titanium, hafnium, niobium and tantalum alloys. These materials are handled as a traditional metal recycling operation. MM&A purchases scrap that was previously classed as waste or set aside by generators such as machine shops and metal fabricators. MM&A sorts, grades, and cleans the scrap, creating a usable product for the original industry such as nuclear or chemical processing, or for other more mainstream industries such as aluminum alloy production.
  
  Interesting fact: Nearly all aircraft aluminum contains recycled zirconium!

2) Processing metals slightly contaminated with uranium into usable clean recycle:

• MM&A is a licensed processor of metals slightly contaminated with uranium. These materials were previously sent to landfills or stored by their owners rather than being decontaminated for beneficial reuse. The nuclear fuel manufacturing industry generates these materials in the course of making parts for the reactor, but the contamination is not from a reactor and is similar to naturally occurring uranium found almost everywhere.
  
  Canada is the world’s largest producer of uranium with annual production estimated at 30 million pounds. By contrast MM&A is authorized to handle only a few pounds of uranium at concentrations that are less than found in nature.
• The nuclear industry worldwide has welcomed MM&A’s services with our programs to responsibly clean up the growing problem of waste.
  
  Canada generates 16% of its electricity from nuclear power. Other countries: USA 20%, Germany 32%, France 78%, Japan 30%. Nuclear power is growing worldwide as countries seek solutions to new greenhouse gas emissions standards.
  
• MM&A cleans metals with a very slight surface layer of uranium as oxides and dust in a process separate from the traditional cleaning operation. Once cleaned, the materials are extensively tested to ensure no contamination remains. The cleaned materials are then released to select industries for re-use. The Uranium can also be recycled back into the nuclear industry for beneficial re-use.
• The Canadian nuclear operations of MMA for recycling ceased in 2005 and have since moved to the USA. The USA operations are part of a consortium of progressive companies dedicated to responsible recycling of such materials. The move has benefited not only MM&A, but its customers in the USA and elsewhere.

• Both zirconium and titanium are metals that can burn in some forms. This means that some finely divided metals like small chips or powder can burn if an ignition source is present. Seventy five percent of the metals that MM&A recycles are not flammable. However, some small quantities of the materials handled could be considered as flammable. MMA operates using best industry practice in this area. The company has extensive knowledge of these materials and because of this, specialized handling procedures have been developed to minimize the impact of any fire. Because we work with small batches of metal at a time, any such fire would be small and easily contained. This is the nature not only of these metals but also any finely divided metals.
  
• Metals with slight uranium contamination are not in a form that will burn. Fires involving the type and form handled by MMA are not possible.

MM&A works with the local fire department and continues to make process and operational improvements to maintain its safety record. Employees are properly trained how to handle combustible materials and the use of proper Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

• MM&A and its industry are highly regulated. MM&A maintains a “Waste Nuclear Substance License” with the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission and a Certificate of Approval for Waste with the Ministry of Environment. With these permits and licenses comes a routine inspection and oversight role that measures performance against the standards.

• MM&A’s licensing allowed continued operations for many years in Brampton. However, MMA has outgrown the site. MM&A’s facility in Brampton began as a full industrial location with limited traffic. Today the factory is surrounded by residential property and has a highway passing behind it. This is no longer a good location for scrap metal operations. Additionally the company needs more factory space to support its growing operations.

• MM&A has searched for suitable locations throughout Ontario, The Brantford site was found and provides excellent location with many growth possibilities, good labor, infrastructure and excellent community.
  
• MM&A continues to expand its traditional metal recycling operations in Canada and has plans to hire approximately 20 -35 people to fulfill the immediate plant requirements in Brantford.

• MMA has a philosophy of continuous improvement, and the company is a globally recognized leader in this specialty industry.

• MM&A is a company looking to the future full of technological advances in the nuclear, chemical processing, and alloys industries. The days of portraying these industries as separate from environmentally sound practice are over. Now they are partners. Recycling of scrap metal products in all industries is now vital to the sustainable development of our planet.

• MM&A is pleased to be a new member of the Brantford Community and the responsibilities associated with being in this community.

• http://www.uic.com.au/education.htm
• http://www.nuclearsafety.gc.ca/