About Metal Recycling

An Introduction to Scrap Metal Recycling

Source: https://www.thebalance.com

What Is Scrap Metal Recycling?

Scrap metal recycling involves the recovery and processing of scrap metal from endof-life products or structures, as well as from manufacturing scrap, so that it can be
introduced as a raw material in the production of new goods. Scrap metal recycling
involves a number of steps such as recovery, sorting, brokering, baling, shearing,
and smelting. Businesses may perform a number of such activities.
The scrap metal recycling industry embraces the range of economic activities
encompassed in

scrap

metal

recycling.

Scrap

metal

recycling

is

more

environmentally friendly than extracting and processing virgin material, while also
generating more jobs.
Metal recycling is an activity undertaken by entrepreneurs such as scrap metal
collectors, as well as by a range of companies large and small that in the aggregate,
comprise the scrap recycling industry.
The scrap metal industry is an important and well-established one, involving the
recovery of metal generated from manufacturing scrap as well as most importantly
from products after their useful life. Scrap metal recycling has many important
benefits and plays a powerful role in supporting both environmental and economic
outcomes. It is highly successful in diverting metal scrap from landfills, and provides
the raw material for new products, offering a much lower carbon footprint and more
efficient utilization of resources than new material.
Aside from environmental benefits, metal recycling is an extremely powerful
economic activity, generating over $64 billion to the U.S. in 2010, according to ISRI
statistics.

When talking about scrap metal recycling, it is important to differentiate between the
two main categories of scrap metal: ferrous metal, and nonferrous metal.
While ferrous metal contains some degree of iron (and in fact, its name is derived
from the latin term meaning iron), non-ferrous metal does not contain iron as a
component. Nonferrous scrap includes aluminum, copper, lead, nickel, tin, zinc and
others.
The Scrap Metal Supply Chain
The collection of scrap metal is hierarchical, and can start with scrap metal
collectors who pick up small quantities of scrap for sale to scrap yards, as well as
many other scrap business roles. Community recycling programs, electronics
recycling and larger commercial generators of scrap metal also provide other
conduits of scrap.
Recovery Volumes and Recycling Rates
In terms of volume, ISRI estimated that United States recycles more than 73 million
metric tons of ferrous metal was recycled in the U.S . in 2014. The largest source
was provided by the 11 million automobiles which were recycled. While the volume
of ferrous metals recovered is much greater, nonferrous metals generate more
industry revenue due to their greater value, and as such are aggressively recycled.
Recovered nonferrous scrap, including aluminum, copper, lead, nickel, tin, zinc and
others, was valued at $40 billion in 2014, generating a volume of 7 million metric
tons.
The top categories of nonferrous scrap metal recovery in 2014 included:
3.64 million metric tons of aluminum

0.82 million metric tons of copper

1.15 million metric tons of lead

0.176 million metric tons of zinc

0.102 million tons of nickel/stainless steel

The recycling rate is a very important measure in terms of landfill diversion. Scrap
metal has been recycled for thousands of years because it has been long recognized
as being a more efficient process than mining and processing new ore. Recycling
rates for metal are generally high, due to its value. For example, ferrous metals have
a recovery rate as follows:

for cars: 106 percent

for appliances: 90 percent

for steel cans: 66.8 percent

for structural steel: 98 percent

for reinforcement steel: 70 percent

Maintaining the recycling rate for predominantly consumer goods can be more
challenging, such as in the case of aluminum beverage containers. Overall, the
recycling rate for aluminum cans is only 58.1 percent (2011), yet in jurisdictions that
have beverage container deposit laws, the recovery rate is much higher. For
example, in British Columbia, which has a 5 cent deposit, the recovery rate was 83.5
percent (2010).
However, there is still much work to be done in raising the recycling rate for metals.
For example, a U.N. report has pointed out that less than one-third of 60 metals
reviewed have a recovery rate of more than 50 percent. The report made
recommendations to improve recycling rates, including:
1. Encouraging product design that makes disassembly and material separation
easier
2. Improving waste management and recycling infrastructure for complex end-oflife products in developing countries and emerging economies
3. In industrialized countries, addressing the fact that many metal-containing
products are hibernating in places likes drawers and closets and others, such
as mobile phones, are all too often ending up in dustbins

4. The ongoing improvement of recycling technologies and collection systems to

keep pace with ever more complex products created with an increasingly
diverse range of metals and alloys.
Environmental Benefits of Recycling
Aside from the diversion of material from landfills, other important benefits of metal
recycling versus the creation of virgin metal include a reduction in energy
consumption as well as in the use of other materials. For example recycled
aluminum requires 95 percent less energy, while copper needs 90 percent less, and
steel 56 percent less. Additionally, the recycling of one ton of steel avoids the use of
2,500 pounds of iron ore, 1,400 pounds of coal and 120 pounds of limestone.