Our Impact

The benefits of recycling metal are endless for both the economy and environment — mainly because scrap metal can be used, reused, and dispersed again and again. Reusing scrap metal ranges from industry use to home furnishings and even influences the world’s most famous artists.

From soda cans to semi-trucks, each year more than 150 million tons of scrap metal is recycled in the United States alone. The Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI) estimates that recycling metal may cut greenhouse gas emissions by 300 million to 500 million tons. Moreover, the Northeast Recycling Council reports that with recycled steel alone there is an 86 percent reduction in air pollution, 76 percent reduction in water pollution and 40 percent less water used in the overall process. Using scrap metal instead of virgin ore also generates 97 percent less mining waste as well.

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO RECYCLE METALS?

Preserving Natural Resources

The players in the scrap metal value chain are like mines above ground, rich with resources that can be reused to preserve the environment, at a fraction of the cost to mine and refine metals from virgin ore. Infact, recycling metal replaces the need to produce virgin metal and in turn, this preserves precious natural resources like coal and iron ore used in metal production. It’s essential to consider resources like coal, as its combustion is a top contributor to climate change. In 2010, coal accounted for 43% of global greenhouse gas emissions and this climate issue has perpetuated ever since. As it simultaneously uses less energy and cuts down on using natural resources, recycling metals is an environmental activity — and an easy way to take corporate responsibility.

Reduces Energy Consumption

Another benefit of scrap metal versus mined metal ore is that scrap metal recycling uses considerably less energy. Fabricating usable metal from mined ore is extremely energy intensive. For instance, energy saved using aluminum scrap versus virgin materials is about 95 percent, according to ISRI. Reducing energy consumption leads to reductions in the amount of greenhouse gas emissions. By using iron and steel scrap, rather than virgin materials, carbon emissions are reduced by 58 percent, ISRI states.

Economic Benefits

Various industries and individuals alike benefit from metal recycling. Industries that utilize metal for manufacturing often end up with piles of scrap after fabricating their products. From a business perspective, why recycle metal scraps and manage that inconvenience when they could be quickly tossed out? Simply put, this trash can be turned into cash. Selling this industrial scrap to recycling facilities increases profits.

While consumers can also make money selling scrap metal, the scrap recycling industry’s biggest contribution to individuals is boosting the economy and job creation. Scrap metal recycling is a labor-intensive industry unto itself. According to a 2015 economic study by the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI), the scrap industry and related suppliers support more than 470,000 good-paying jobs annually from about $105 billion in annual economic activity. In 2014 it generated about $4.4 billion in state and local taxes and $6.76 billion in federal taxes paid by the industry and its employees.

For a manufacturer, recycled metal is cheaper than newly mined metals from virgin ores. Using these lower priced raw materials brings down manufacturing costs. This savings is passed on to customers in the competitive marketplace with lower priced consumer goods. Automobiles, appliances, home furnishings and grocery packaging are among the many consumer goods that benefit from lower prices due to the use of recycled scrap metal.

Other Environmental Benefits

Recycling steel, aluminum, copper and other metals keeps these materials out of the waste stream, leading to less waste in landfills. Reducing landfill utilization in and of itself is helpful to the environment, but minimizing metals in landfills is particularly important because they can leach harmful chemicals. Reducing both mining and energy consumption subsequently leads to other environmental benefits such as the reduction of air pollution and wastewater.

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