Benefits of Steel Recycling
Steel is a part of many curbside collection programs and is included to accept steel cans used for anything from coffee to soup to pet food. Here are some of the important reasons to recycle steel:
- Steel cans are so abundant in our daily life that you probably go through one every day.
- Recycling steel prevents the need to mine additional iron and coal, the primary ingredients to make new steel.
- Producing new steel from virgin materials requires more non-renewable energy than steel made from recycled steel.
- Because steel is a metal, it can be easily separated from other recyclables (e.g. paper, glass) using magnets.
- Steel is the building material of choice for most construction projects because of its strength and durability.
- Steel recycling saves landfill space as well as provides a scrap resource to the steel industry.
- Steel is a key component of car parts and household appliances, and recycled steel has the same strength as new steel when used in these devices.
- Unlike other materials (e.g. paper, glass), steel does not need to be separated by color or size before it is recycled; it can all be melted down at once.
- Steel containers have the versatility to hold a variety of products, from food to paint to shoe polish. They simply need to be rinsed before they are ready to recycle.
- Steel containers are usually comprised entirely of steel, meaning that the entire container can be put in with your recycling (including caps and lids).
