When you set anything metal outside on the curb with a free sign, it gets recycled. Either someone takes it to use or they scrap it to be melted down for repurposing.

I talked to an elderly man digging in my father's trash for metal recently. He's not doing it because he's poor but because he's retired and bored and gets cash for the scrap that doesn't affect his social security income.

He recycles everything with metal in it. Even pulling out individual wires when he has time. He says he gets paid more if he dismantles the appliance versus turning it in whole.