Recycling Steel

With the alarming rise in population, the need for recycling has become all the more important. Recycling is no more a choice; it has become a necessity today for our survival.

Apart from conservation of natural resources, many metals, including steel are recycled for economic purposes. Of all the metals, steel has the highest level of recyclable content. The metallurgical properties of this precious metal allow it to be recycled, without compromising its quality.

Sources of steel scrap

The main sources of steel scrap include:

Home scrap: It is produced from within the mill itself, and is usually available within weeks.

Prompt scrap: It is produced while manufacturing products from steel and is available within months.

Obsolete scrap: It is produced from steel products at the end of their lives. It may be decades before this kind of scrap is available.

According to the World Steel Association, steel created as long ago as 150 years can be recycled and used in new products and applications. Interestingly, sector-wise, global steel recovery rates for recycling are estimated at 85% for construction, 85% for automotive, 90% for machinery and 50% for electrical and domestic appliances. This leads to a global weighted average of more than 83%.

How is steel recycled?

All types of steel can be recycled in various different ways. Here are some ways steel can be recycled:

Food cans

Instead of throwing away steel cans, recycle them for future use. Rinse the can properly to make sure there is no food remaining in the can. Place the lid inside, as it can also be recycled. Steel and tin cans have almost 74% of the energy used to produce them.

Paint tins

Recycle paint tins by using them as trash bins. Prior to recycling, make sure the paint left within the tin is completely dry.

Steel pipes

Steel pipes can be recycled to make innovative home décor accessories. As steel pipes are versatile, they can be used to make several projects, such as table, chair, shelves, lamps, etc. In order to make a table, for example, you need to join plumbing pipes to create a solid base for it. Similarly, you can make a vintage lamp with a few pipes and an empty glass bottle.

Not only will recycling steel pipes help you save substantial amounts of money, it will also give you the chance to flaunt your creativity.

Many countries have waste management organizations that collect steel and other metals for recycling purpose. Steel scrap is taken to a refinery to manufacture new steel. Recycling steel not only saves money, but it also reduces energy consumption as compared to making steel from scratch.

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