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News Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Nancy Gravatt/703.593.4176


May 3, 2004 Jim Woods/412.922.2772 X215

STEEL CONTINUES TO BE THE BACKBONE OF RECYCLING IN AMERICA.


Increased scrap values positively affect steel-based consumer products

San Francisco, CA --The Steel Recycling Institute (SRI) announced today that the recycling rates for
a variety of steel products increased slightly in 2003, maintaining steel’s preeminence as the most
recycled material in the nation and around the world

SRI reported that steel continues to be the backbone of the recycling infrastructure throughout the
United States and that almost 69 million tons of steel were recycled last year. These millions of tons,
which found their way to steel mills for recycling rather than landfills, resulted in an overall recycling
rate of 70.7 percent, virtually the same as in 2002.

Steel-dominated consumer products, such as cans, cars, and appliances, however, showed slight
increases, which is a result of the increased value of steel scrap during the second half of 2003. Over
14.2 million tons of steel from end of life vehicles was recycled in 2003, resulting in a 102.9 percent
rate, up 2.3 percent from the 100.6 percent registered in 2002. When it comes to those products that
typically end up on the curb, such as steel cans, and steel-intensive appliances, more of these
commodities found their way to curbside bins and recycling centers than in 2002.

Over 2.6 million tons of appliances and almost 1.6 millions tons of steel cans were recycled last year,
resulting in recycling rates of 89.7 and 60.2 percent, respectively.

“There is no doubt that peddlers (scrap men who roam the communities looking for metals such as
cans and appliances) helped push both the steel can and appliance recycling rates up last year. They
took advantage of the increased value of these commodities,” said Bill Heenan, President of the Steel
Recycling Institute. He added, “The increased value of steel scrap last year certainly helped keep
America beautiful as these same peddlers roamed the streets, alleys, embankments, and empty lots
looking for recyclables.”
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News Release

STEEL CONTINUES TO BE THE BACKBONE OF RECYCLING IN AMERICA


PAGE TWO

In 2003, we continued to see the trend of increased ferrous recycling in the construction and
demolition arena. Heavy structural beams’ and plates’ recycling was up slightly to 96 percent, from a
95 percent level in 2002, while recycling of rebar continued to grow and is estimated to have finished
2003 at 60 percent, up from 57.5 percent the previous year.

“Based on the value of scrap through the first four months of 2004, we are well on our way to
continuing the upward trend of recycling rates for steel commodities this year,” Heenan said. “This
provides our industry with a precious raw material that dramatically reduces our energy
consumption and our need for virgin raw materials.”

The Steel Recycling Institute (SRI) is an industry association that promotes and sustains the recycling
of all steel products. The SRI educates the solid waste industry, government, business and ultimately
the consumer about the benefits of steel's infinite recycling cycle.

For more news about steel and its applications, view AISI’s website at www.steel.org, or for recycling
information, visit SRI’s website at www.recycle-steel.org
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Steel Recycling at a Glance
All Recycling Rates by Percent

Overall Rates Steel Can Recycling

Appliance Recycling Automobile Recycling

Construction Recycling

Structural Beams & Plates Reinforcement Bars & Other

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