Recycling

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Solids

(Current Recyclable Materials)

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Recyclable Metal Materials  (Page 1)

Metals are important resources that human beings have been digging up out of earth since the earliest days of civilization.  With the amount metals being used in all areas of society, the amount of metal ores is dwindling down at a rapid pace.  Facing the reality that one day this great resource will run out, thus metal reuse has become very important.  Fortunately, most of metals available to us today are recyclable and the reusable nature of metals contributes to the sustainability of their use.  Over the past decade or so, recycled metals have contributed significantly to the supply of metals in the industry.  Although the ultimate supply of metal is fixed by nature, it can still be divided into two categories: primary metal (i.e., from the Earth) and secondary metal (i.e., from the use and process stream).  The term “primary” indicates material from ore deposits, and “secondary,” from recycled materials, including used products and residual materials from manufacturing.  The following information is extracted from United States Geological Survey Mineral Information. Metal Scrapes… Generally, scrap is categorized as “new” or “old,” where “new” indicates pre-consumer sources, and “old” suggests post-consumer sources.  • Sources of New Scrap – Stages of industrial processions that precede an end product: cutting, trimmings, turnings, stampings, and off-specification materials all contribute to the accumulation of new scrap. • Sources of Old Scrap – When a product completes its useful product life, it becomes old scrap:  Used beverage cans (UBCs), junked automobiles, and appliance, are examples of old consumer scrap. Used jet engine blades and vanes, junked machinery and ships, and metal recovered from commercial buildings or industrial plants are examples of old industrial scrap. Benefit of Recycling Metals… Recycling, a significant factor in the supply of many of the metals used in our society, provides environmental benefits in terms of energy savings, reduced volumes of waste, and reduced emissions associated with energy savings. *Compared with producing one ton of steel or paper from virgin materials, the use of recycled metal scrap conserves: Water   74% Air Pollution  86% Water Pollution 76% Virgin Materials 90% *Energy Savings from the use of selected metal scrap: Steel  74% Aluminum 95% Copper 85%

Sample Products Made From Recycled Steel:          - Food cans          - Beverage containers          - Aerosol and paint cans          - Automobile and appliance parts      Sample Products Made From Recycled Aluminum:          - Beverage cans          - Lawn furniture tubing          - Window frames          - Storm doors

Figure: Many aluminum cans are made of recycled metals. [Courtesy of: Packworld.com.]

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