Clips • Page 5 of 15 • Jim Woods

Archive: The Impact of Imports

On May 6, 1999

The unrestricted flow of illegal steel imports into the United States is doing more than costing jobs and closing plants. It has also had a substantial impact on the volume of steel that’s being recycled. Production cutbacks by U.S. producers have chopped demand and price of scrap steel, reversing a ten-year trend of increased recycling.

U.S. steel mills were at the peak of their efficiency, consuming record volumes of steel scrap to make new steel.

However, global economic instability has let to record heights in foreign exporting of steel. Foreign governments, in hoes of bringing hard currency to their economy, subsidized their steel industries, enabling them to export steel to the U.S. for prices lower than the actual costs of production. These slanted prices had a dramatic impact on the U.S. steel industry, as well as related industries and organizations.

Last year, the value of scrap steel dropped by almost 50 percent, cutting the amount of steel recycled from cans, automobiles, appliances and construction. And, while steel recycling has wide-reaching environmental benefits, it is the economics of steel recycling that keeps the steel recycling cycle in motion.

Although the import crisis has shown signs of passing, the impact left from the unregulated imports will be felt throughout the steel and recycling industries for some time to come.

Anticipating this market turnaround, scrap processors have continued to purchase and stockpile steel scrap. This stockpile will serve as a reserve as production rebounds in the U.S.

Steel scrap continues to be a vital ingredient in the production of new steel, and as steel production rebounds, so too will the demand for steel scrap.

Archive: Steel Recycling: Bigger Than The Bin

By JimWoodsPR

On May 1, 1998

In White Paper

It’s a strange irony that the most recycled product in the United States won’t even fit in a recycling bin. Size, however, doesn’t stop this product from being recycled in large volume. In fact, automobiles are recycled at nearly a 100 percent
rate each year.

For millions of Americans, recycling means setting a bin full of empty steel soup cans, glass mayonnaise jars, plastic ketchup bottles and old newspapers at the curbside. It’s hard to imagine automobiles being collected for recycling, but cars are actually recycled more than newspapers, beverage cans or any other recyclable product.

For years, automobiles have been recycled for their iron and steel content. And more recently, efforts are being made to increase the volume of steel an iron captured from automobiles through the recycling of used oil filters and steel tire
wire. These new sources of steel scrap are often a byproduct of the automobile while it is still in service, as well as a byproduct of the dismantling process once the car has reached the end of its road service.

Steel has long been the driving force behind the recycling of automobiles, and as more infrastructure develops for recycling used oil filters and tire wire, even greater options of the automobile will be on the road to becoming new steel products.

The Road to New Steel

The recycling of the automobile and its components provides a steady stream of high-quality steel scrap needed to make new steel. With the nearly 13 million automobiles collected and processed for recycling last year, along with the additional scrap achieved through recycling last year, along with the additional scrap achieved through recycling used oil filters and steel tire wire, it’s fortunate that steel mill furnaces have healthy appetites for steel scrap.
The whole process is an excellent example of how economics can drive recycling. In 1997, more than 13 million tons of steel scrap from automotive shredding operations were shipped to steel mills for recycling. And through the development of new recycling markets, this stream of steel scrap will find a welcome addition to the scrap used to make new steel.

Tire Wire Scrap

Tires were initially recycled for their rubber content, which is chipped, ground and/or melted into products such as asphalt and playground padding, as well as tire-derived fuel. But thanks to advances in technology, recycling steel tire
wire is also an environmentally-responsible means of collecting a high quality source of steel scrap and conserving landfill space.

The average passenger tire contains approximately 10 percent steel wire by weight, which helps make the tire stronger and more rigid. By chipping tires and recovering the steel wire, up to 99 percent of the average passenger car tire can now be captured for recycling.

These recycling innovations both conserve natural resources and conserve landfill space. When left intact, ten tires can occupy more than a cubic yard of space in a landfill, but now these tires are being put to use, along with other sources of steel scrap, to become new steel.

In a single year, the steel tire wire from an equivalent of nearly eight million tires is shipped to be recycled.

Used Oil Filters

Oil filters are made almost entirely of steel. Despite their small size, these filters can add up. By recycling all the oil filters sold annually in the U.S., enough steel would be recovered to build 16 new stadiums the size of Atlanta’s Turner Field.

Some states have banned used oil filters from the landfill, while others have placed restrictions on how they can be discarded. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency requires used oil filters to be drained of all free-flowing oil before they are discarded or recycled. Most states follow federal requirements for used oil filter disposal.

Part of the Overall Recycling Package

The very roots of automobile recycling lie in the steel industry’s need for ferrous scrap. Steel has been the material of choice for automobile manufacturing since the car’s beginnings because of its strength and durability. Since that time, manufacturers and scrap processors alike have come to realize the additional benefits of steel’s infinite recyclability. In 1997 alone, the steel industry recycled enough steel from old automobiles to produce almost 13 million new
automobiles.

The steel industry, together with the scrap processing industry, is responsible for laying the groundwork for the efficient automobile recycling infrastructure that exists today. In an effort to provide more steel scrap to the growing steel industry and to reduce the automobile’s impact on the environment, the two industries worked collectively in the early 1960’s to develop the first automobile shredders. Today, a network of dismantlers and shredders effectively process the millions of vehicles taken off the road each year.

One of the first steps in preparing an automobile for recycling is to remove all the reusable parts. This process is often referred to as dismantling. The dismantling process removes items such as transmissions, water pumps, head and tail lights and other parts which can be used to repair other cars.

Once these parts have been removed, the remaining auto body is ready to begin its own recycling journey. Its fist stop is at the car crusher, where once elegant, flashy hot rods are reduced to flattened masses of steel. The auto bodies are flattened for ease of storage and processing. The flattened hulks are then sent to the auto shredder.

Inside the shredder, a large roller spins a series of hammers smashing the car into bits of steel and other materials in less than a minute. Shredding the automobile separates the variety of materials used in automobile manufacturing. The shredder is found at the scrap processing facility. There are more than 200 automobile shredders in operation across North America.

As the fist-sized chunks of material leave the shredder, the steel is automatically separated from the other materials by a magnet. Steel’s magnetic attraction makes it easy to identify and recycle.

Once the steel has been separated from remaining materials, it is then ready to make a hot stop at the steel mill to be made into new steel products.

Steel Recycling Background

Steel scrap is the single largest ingredient needed to make new steel. Today, the steel industry’s scrap hungry furnaces recycle more than 65 percent of the steel produced each year. Increases in technology continue to push the steel industry’s capacity to recycle steel to even greater levels. This remarkable recycling achievement is by no means limited to the last few years. With the exception of the very earliest methods of steelmaking, steel scrap has always played an important role in the steelmaking process.

The steel industry’s steady, increasing demand for scrap has notable consequences. First, the United States has developed the most efficient steel recycling infrastructure in the world. More than 1,500 ferrous scrap processors prepare both pre- and post-consumer steel scrap for recycling. The United States is also the world’s largest exporter of steel scrap. Like any other raw material, steel scrap has true economic value. As a result, it is collected and prepared for recycling for its market value as well as for the energy savings and natural resource conservation it provides to the steel industry.

Environmental Innovation in the Design

Realizing the importance of recycling automobiles, car manufacturers are designing their vehicles with a long-term view of how the components can be refurbished, reused or recycled. And when these automobiles are made from steel, the car is both made with recycled content and is recyclable at the end of its use.

As a result, automakers have been using recycled material to make new cars for decades. How much recycled material? Nearly three-quarters of an automobile is made of steel and iron, and all of these steel car parts contain a minimum of 25 percent recycled steel. However, many internal steel and iron parts such as engine blocks are made using an even higher percentage of recycled steel. Overall, the average recycled content of the steel in a passenger car is approximately 44 percent. The steel industry has also made great strides in the production of steel to minimize environmental impact, and has designed new lighter, stronger steels to increase automobile safety and fuel economy.

Lighter and Stronger Steels

The steel industry is working to ensure that steel remains the material of choice fro automobiles. This is a challenge being addressed by the progressive steel industry. In today’s marketplace, government standards dictate that cars must be lighter and more fuel efficient but retain performance standards.

The government is seeking to increase an automobile’s fuel efficiency. However, it’s important not to look at fuel efficiency “in a vacuum” and ignore that other environmental benefits that may be lost by increasing it. For instance, increasing fuel efficiency by building cars largely out of lighter weight, less-recyclable materials lowers a car’s safety and recyclability. Instead, it’s important to examine fuel efficiency with a car’s entire lifecycle in mind, including its affordability, safety, recyclability and insurability.

The steel industry has responded to these demands by producing lighter, stronger steels. The latest steel alloys used in automobile manufacturing did not exist as little as five years ago. And a current steel industry project, the UltraLight Steel AutoBody (ULSAB), will shed as much as 36 percent of the weight of the frame of the vehicle with no loss of strength or performance.

In addition to reduced weight and superior performance, ULSAB costs no more to build than typical autobody structures in its class and could even yield cost savings. The new steel body structure will help automobile manufacturers around
the world provide their customers with safer, cost-competitive, more environmentally responsible vehicles that meet increasing expectations for performance.

While reducing weight was a major goal of this project, the ULSAB also met targets for structural efficiency-achieving a high-strength body with minimal mass. State of the art steelmaking technology makes it possible to shave away the weight while maintaining safety. This reduction helps both the steel industry and the auto industry improve the environment, including reductions in air and water emissions-minimizing environmental impact.

Conclusion

With virtually 100 percent of out-of-service automobiles collection for recycling, they are the most recycled commodities in the United States’ biggest recycling success story. Automobiles contained recycled steel long before the term “recycled content” ever came into popular use.

Archive: Oil Filter Recycling is No Waste to ProCycle

By JimWoodsPR

On April 27, 1998

In Case History

In recent years, many companies have come to realize the environmental benefits of recycling used oil filters. As a result, a number of environmentally effective methods of processing these used oil filters have been developed, and thanks to John Barber III, there’s one more.

In 1992, Barber took an idea and a small oil recycling company and turned it into one of the largest oil related recyclers in the Southwest, capturing tons of steel from used oil filters each year.

This growth for ProCycle came in part because of an innovation in oil filter recycling by this creation from Barber. In 1992, he invented and patented a method of recycling all components of used commercial and industrial oil filters. Today, ProCycle recovers used oil filters from across the Southwest.

“I had been working in the oil recycling industry since 1988 and realized the potential for capturing much more of what had routinely been land filled,” said Barber.

In addition to his oil recycling background, Barber also had training in construction and engineering and put this knowledge to use in designing and oil filter recycling system that he registered as the “Pro-M-Cycle 1 Filter Recycling
Process.”

ProCycle now has a fleet of trucks circulating throughout the Southwest, collecting used oil filters from a variety of commercial and industrial sources. The collected oil filters are then hauled to ProCycle’s 16,000 sq. ft. facility in Springtown, TX.

There, the oil filters are tested to make sure that they contain no hazardous wastes. Once inspected, the used oil filters then enter Barber’s patented thermal and mechanical process. The collected filers first enter a shredder, which breaks
them into tiny chunks and slices. The shredded filters then enter the thermal process, baking out any excess oil that was not caught through the initial draining. This oil is cleaned and collected for reuse. The steel portion of the oil filters is separated and stored for recycling. The pleated paper and other materials are reduced to an ash used in concrete making.

Each year, ProCycle recovers more than 2,000 tons of steel, along with more than 500,000 gallons of used oil from filters that were alleged to have already been drained of their contents. The collected steel is baled and sold to Gashman Metal or Chaparral Steel.

Clearly, used oil filters are a valuable source of scrap. The Pro-M-Cycle 1 process has proven itself a viable method to process filters for end market consumption.

Archive: Magnetic Property of Steel Separates it from Other Recyclable Materials

By JimWoodsPR

On April 11, 1998

In Editorial

What unique property does steel have that other recyclable materials don’t? Everyone with a motley assortment of magnets stuck to their refrigerator should know the answer to this question. Steel is attracted to a magnet.

Home refrigerators everywhere are plastered with mosaics of family photos, favorite recipes and important phone numbers, all clumped under a collection of magnets from a tacky tourist trap meant to commemorate last summer’s vacation. And before that invention of the sticky Post-it note, the refrigerator magnet was arguably the best way to hang a hastily scripted message to someone. We’re all inevitably drawn to the refrigerator by hunger, and so the message was sure to be seen and read.

But steel’s magnetic property comes in a little more handy in the world of solid waste management. You could even say it separates steel from all other types of recyclable materials.

One of the tricky parts of recycling is how to best separate the recyclables. Engineers have harnessed the natural power of magnetism to sort steel products from the solid waste stream. When commingled recyclables arrive at a material recovery facility, empty steel food, paint and aerosol cans are often the first products to be culled from the mix. At most facilities, the recyclables are loaded onto a conveyor belt and passed under a magnetic conveyor belt, which quickly and efficiently pulls steel containers out of the mix. The remaining materials continue along the original conveyor belt to undergo manual or mechanical sorting.

Steel’s magnetic attraction does more than just help steel cans to be cleanly and efficiently sorted at a material recovery facility. It also allows steel cans to be collected from the municipal solid waste stream in ways other materials can’t. For instance, there are 98 resource recovery facilities that recycle steel cans and combust municipal solid waste into energy or create refuse derived fuel. At these facilities steel cans are magnetically separated from the waste stream along with other iron and steel items, and shipped to a steel mill for recycling. Nearly half of the 40 million Americans facilities live in communities that do not offer curbside or drop-off recycling programs for steel cans. But thanks to steel’s magnetic property, the steel is automatically separated for recycling. Think about it, 20 million Americans are recycling virtually 100 percent of the steel cans that they use, simply by disposing of them, because the containers are efficiently separated with a magnet at the resource recovery facility.

And when it comes to appliances, those same magnetic properties that held your refrigerator magnets in place when it was in your kitchen, bring similar benefits when it is time to recycle the appliance. Appliances, when no longer operational, are dismantled and then torn apart in a shredder. This is done to break down the individual materials used to make the appliance. Steel again pulls away from the rest as the shredded appliance passes under the magnetic belts at the end of the shredder.

Steel’s magnetic property is also very useful when it comes to moving steel materials. Whether it’s a crushed automobile weighing up to a ton or a bale of steel cans weighing several hundred pounds, electromagnets make it easy to lift and move steel scrap.

So next time you hang your child’s report card or a clipping of your favorite cartoon on the refrigerator, remember that steel’s magnetic property comes in handy both during your appliance’s useful life-and especially after.

Archive: Steel Gets Life In New York Correctional System

By JimWoodsPR

On December 28, 1997

In Case History

Proper solid waste management is just one of the many intricacies involved in the effective management of a correctional facility, but the impact can carry a lot of weight-literally. Correctional facilities hold hundreds, sometimes thousands, of inmates. In the feeding, training and the day-to-day activities of each of these inmates, tons of solid waste are produced. As the New York State Department of Corrections has discovered, much of this waste is recyclable.

Solid waste programs are present in each of the 70 correctional facilities under the jurisdiction of the New York State Department of Corrections, and nearly every one of them now recycles. He state correctional facilities are charged with holding the state’s more than 71,000 inmates, in facilities from work camps on up to maximum security facilities.

Just as in many other states, the correctional system is directly impacted by state recycling regulations, such as the Solid Waste Management Act of 1988. This act made it mandatory for all state-regulated facilities to incorporate a recycling program into their solid waste programs. Then, in 1989, the importance of this Act was reinforced by the Governor with Executive Order 142, maintaining that all state agencies should begin recycling.

The initial recycling program included steel and aluminum cans, corrugated cardboard, plastic and polystyrene containers, as well as mixed office paper, textiles, mattresses and food wastes. It was initially a big jump into a recycling
program but many of these recyclables were being generated in the food service facilities and dining halls. As a result, they centered a large portion of the program on this area.

Each day, more than 200,000 meals are prepared within the New York State Correctional system and with each of these meals, recyclables are produced. Steel cans and corrugated cardboard are the top two recyclables generated by weight within this area. Many of the ingredients in these meals come stored in one-gallon steel food cans.

Steel cans are a natural choice to include in correctional system recycling programs as they use thousands each day and there is a stable market that has been in place for years to recycle them.

In a majority of the state correctional facilities, the steel cans are emptied and then rinsed in dishwater or cleaned in extra space in the dishwasher. The cans are then loaded into clear plastic bags, which are collected and stored.

There is also a food production unit within the system, which prepares the food for 30 prisons. Within this facility, the rinsing and crushing of the steel cans is automated, and the crushed cans from this unit are also stored for pick-up.

Once a week the stored cans from the system are collected and transported to one of eight regional processing facilities. At the processing facilities, the cans are baled and prepared to be sent on to steel mills to become new products.

Last year, the New York State Correctional System recycled more than 2,100 tons of steel cans. This is in addition to the 510 tons of steel recycled from machinery changes, refurbishments and scrap from vocational programs.

Steel is everywhere in correctional facilities from washing machines to steel appliances to steel cans. The buildings themselves are even built from steel.

Archive: Small Town’s Restaurants Recycle In A Big Way

By JimWoodsPR

On December 19, 1997

In Case History

Behind each of the five main restaurants in Sonora, Texas rests a bright yellow dumpster. These dumpsters play an integral part in the town’s commercial/institutional recycling program, which was set into motion in early 1994.

The town provided the restaurants with the dumpsters in which to source separate and store one-gallon steel cans.

One-gallon steel cans play an important role in food service recycling programs. Because more than 90 percent of metal food containers are made from steel, anywhere food is prepared, steel cans are used and should be recycled when empty.

Restaurant staff employees rinse one-gallon steel food cans clean with leftover dishwater. The cans are then loaded into the yellow dumpster, where they are collected once a week by truck and taken to the town’s storage center. There, the steel cans are combined with recyclables collected from the town’s drop-off recycling program.

The town’s drop-off recycling program was established in 1990. Residents source separate steel and aluminum cans, glass bottles and jars, used oil and steel oil filters, and tires into separate dumpsters. The collection site is maintained daily by town personnel.

Steel cans are delivered to a ferrous scrap yard in San Angelo. About seven tons of steel cans were recycled last year.

“The philosophy behind our recycling programs is that at least we’re keeping these recyclables out of landfills,” said Jim Garrett, recycling coordinator for Sonora.

“Way out here in west Texas the marketing of the materials is not that great. But our main purpose is to do our part to conserve landfill space and help the environment.”

Archive: Area Hospitals Lead The Way For Commercial/Institutional Recycling

By JimWoodsPR

On December 7, 1997

In Case History

More and more, hospitals are learning that a recycling program is an environmentally efficient means of reducing solid waste costs and meeting local recycling goals. The large volumes of recyclables generated within these facilities
provide a distinct economic advantage for beginning a recycling program over smaller facilities with lower volumes.

Thomas Jefferson University Hospital: Philadelphia, PA

At Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia, steel and aluminum cans, glass containers and cardboard have been collected for recycling since 1990. One of the first hospitals nationwide to collect steel cans for recycling, Jefferson has recycled more than 30,000 pounds of steel cans in the past three years, saving landfill space, energy and natural resources.

“Steel cans were naturally included in the recycling program. They are found in abundance in institutions,” said Ed Barr, manager for support services for the hospital. “The majority of these cans are the one-gallon size cans used in the kitchen area. They are easy to prepare for recycling as well as transport to the recycling area.”

At the hospital, kitchen staff segregate the steel cans from the regular trash. After any food debris is rinsed out, the empty cans are collected in a bin and taken to the hospital’s recycling area. There, the cans are crushed, placed onto a utility cart, and transported to the truck that makes daily runs to the recycling center.

For institutions interested in recycling steel cans, Barr recommends first locating and processor interested in accepting steel cans. To ensure kitchen staff support, involve them in the recycling program and let them know the importance of recycling empty steel cans. One person should be appointed to be in charge of the recycling effort to get the program started and maintain momentum.

Finally, Barr recommends that the steel cans be marketed as part of a total recycling program: steel cans should be collected from the kitchen, aluminum and glass from the cafeteria, and paper from the offices.

All recyclables at the hospital are delivered to a Philadelphia transfer station. There, they are baled and shipped to end market for recycling.

Archive: Walt Disney World Hilton: Takes A Simple Approach To Steel Recycling

By JimWoodsPR

On December 2, 1997

In Case History

At the Walt Disney World Hilton, Chief Engineer John Steele has structured a recycling program in which simplicity is the primary focus. The program includes a variety of recyclables: steel food cans, aluminum beverage cans, glass and plastic containers, newspaper, office paper, cardboard, soap, grease and other items such as carpeting.

A lot of research went into the program before it was implemented in the summer of 1990. Steele asked all hotel employees what recyclable materials they used in greatest quantities. Collection bins for the appropriate materials were then placed in the closest location possible.

In the kitchen, one-gallon steel cans are routinely recycled. The steps that the hotel follows are the same as those recommended by SRI: (1) the can is rinsed, using no extra water, (2) the lid and bottom of the can are removed, and (3) the can is crushed and placed into the storage bin along with the lids.

Steele determined that 70 percent of guests would participate in a hotel recycling program. Since he does not believe that any of the employees should have to “go through garbage,” a place card in each room asks guests to leave their recyclables on the desk or table in the room. The housekeeping staff collects the materials using a bag that hangs on the cleaning carts.

“Our guests have made very positive comments about our recycling program,” said Nadine DeGenova Kopf, director of public relations. “For example, members of a major company met in-house, and we provide them with a number of bins for their recyclable materials. They were surprised at how comprehensive our recycling program is.”

The savings have been tremendous. The year before the program was established, the hotel paid $30,000 for trash removal; the following year it paid $8,200. Since the recyclables are source separated, employees process them according to end market specifications. In the case of steel cans, they are baled.

Archive: The New Steel. Feel The Strength: Newly Formed Coalition, TheSteelAlliance, Launches Awareness Campaign

By JimWoodsPR

On October 20, 1997

In Newswriting

The morning glow of a summer sun sizzles on the Indiana horizon, growing in intensity until the sun itself boils forth from the ground and rises, spreading it’s rays over the state. It’s already hot, however, at a steel mill, where it’s twin pair of basic oxygen furnaces have been raging with the sun’s same intensity all night. The enormous two-story, pot-bellied vessels alternately tip sideways and straighten, fed by chunks of solid steel scrap washed down with deep swigs of molten iron. Every 45 minutes, each furnace produces as much as 300 tons of molten steel.

Although not immediately discernible, the river of steel pouring forth from these furnaces is far different from those that built this nation at the turn of the century. It is far different than the steel we relied upon in the Second World War. It is even different that the steel produced a decade ago. Modern steel mills like this one all across North America are hard at work producing what the industry has called “the new steel.”

Although steel has been made for more than 150 years, it has been quietly and continuously evolving. Today’s steels are new. Consider that half of all the types of steel produced today did not exist just ten short years ago. This new steel
is the result of a $50 billion investment made by the North American steel industry in advanced technologies that make the world’s strongest, most innovative material even stronger and more innovative – and all at a lower cost to the consumer.

A New Steel Industry

Mark Stephenson is a busy man these days. He’s the executive director of TheSteelAlliance, an industry group which kicked off a campaign in May 1997 to highlight the benefits of the new steel to the public. While he’s more than prepared to discuss steel’s attributes, he’s equally excited about the transformations taking place in the industry. He quickly reviews the more than 90 North American steel producers, suppliers and affiliated organizations that joined
together to form the Steel Alliance.

“We’re talking more than just ‘the new steel’ here. He steel industry has reinvented itself, meeting its own challenges by creating stronger, thinner, easier to shape and corrosion resistant steels that help make lighter, safer, longer lasting products,” said Stephenson. “By harnessing new technology and upgrading the steelmaking process from start to finish, the steel industry has transformed itself into the ‘new steel industry.’”

The steel industry has emerged from the past two decades a leaner and more efficient industry than ever before. Thanks to advances in technology, no other country produces more steel per man-hour than the United States. In addition, the United States is the planet’s lowest cost steel producer. The North American steel industry has also collectively cut emissions, increased the recycling of post-consumer steel products from the solid waste stream and reduced the amount of energy needed to make steel.

All these positive attributes of steel have something in common: the public, for the most part, is largely unaware of them. David Hoag, the chairman of TheSteelAlliance and chairman and CEO of LTV Steel Corporation, agrees.

“The steel industry in North America is alive and well, but few outside our industry know that,” said Hoag. “There are many misconceptions about the industry and about steel, and we are determined to change those perceptions.”

Arming consumers with the facts about steel has begun through a five-year, high profile awareness campaign entitled “The New Steel. Feel the Strength.” The campaign reaches out to the millions of people who buy automobiles, appliances, houses, canned food or any of the many products made of with steel to help them recognize steel’s attributes. And with an audience of millions, the campaign is sure to keep Stephenson busy in the years ahead.

On the Front Lines.

The infrastructure of the computerized age has crept into all areas of our lives, and the steel industry is no exception. From behind the glass of climate-controlled “pulpits” that overlook the steelmaking line, engineers monitor computer screens that flicker with data about the hot slabs of new steel rolling past. Computers working in concert with the latest technology in responsive steelmaking machinery ensure that steel is made to precise dimensions and worldclass quality.

Steel’s biggest strength has long been its flexibility-meaning its ability to adapt to change and meet increasingly stricter performance demands. Metallurgists and engineers in the North American steel industry work with these new technologies to produce ever stronger, lighter, thinner steels. For example, the Sears Tower, the world’s tallest building when it was constructed in 1974, could be built with 35 percent less steel today.

Cleaner Air, Water

Make the steel manufacturing process cleaner: an initiative that the steel industry has backed with a multi=-billion dollar investment.

Over the past decade, the industry has invested approximately $10 billion to reduce steelmaking’s impact on the environment, especially in regards to air and water emissions. Advanced air pollution control devices have been installed in steel mills that capture dust particles and gases.

Today, the industry has collectively reduced carbon dioxide emissions by 28 percent and waste water emissions by 91 percent compared to ten years ago. Annual energy consumption has been cut by more than 30 percent in the same time period.

UltraLight Steel Auto Bodies

The North American steel industry has worked in partnership with automobile manufacturers to engineer and manufacture automotive components that are much lighter and stronger than was thought possible less than a decade ago. This partnership has led to new vehicle designs and construction techniques that have meant a 20 percent decrease in vehicle weight since 1978.

And through the continued cooperation between steel producers and automotive manufacturers, the future is bright with promise for higher quality, more environmentally-friendly vehicles. Steel producers from around the world are working
on a project called the UltraLight Steel AutoBody, which combines cutting edge automotive design with the newest state-of-the-art manufacturing techniques to enable the world’s automakers to produce a new family of safe, light-weight, low cost, fuel-efficient car bodies.

Steel Framing

Steel built our skyscrapers and bridges. And now, environmental and economic concerns motivate the building industry to examine alternative materials and methods in residential construction. An exciting new market has been found in steel homes.

The new steel resists decay, corrosion, fire and floods more than any other material, which is why it is now being used more in residential construction.

The New Steel. Feel the Strength.

Nearly 150 years ago, steel sparked the industrial revolution. Today, it’s still revolutionizing the way we live and shaping our future.

Archive: Wash Cycle, Rinse Cycle, Spin Cycle – Recycle!

By JimWoodsPR

On February 19, 1997

In White Paper

We’re nation dependent upon appliances. Our water heaters, ovens, refrigerators, air conditioners, washing machines and other white goods quietly fulfill essential roles in our daily lives. In the United States, 98 percent of homes have a refrigerator. An estimated 98 percent have a range. Appliances are designed to save energy and labor, giving us time to do other things.

Normally, these faithful servants will chill, cook, or clean for us for fifteen or more years. But at some point in their lives, appliances must be replaced.

An estimated 54 million appliances are disposed of each year in the United States. All major appliances are made predominantly of steel. The majority of this steel is found in the metal shell or body that encases an appliance’s electrical components. While steel is used in appliances for its strength, economy and durability, it also makes appliances recyclable.

Steel’s Recyclability

Steel is the heavy-weight champion of the recycling world. More steel is recycled in all of North America than any other material. In 1995, about 70 million tons of steel scrap were recycled, including scrap from post consumer steel products such as appliances.

The reason why so much steel is recycled is that steel mills need steel scrap to make new steel. The two types of steelmaking processes used in the United States to make new steel, the basic oxygen furnace (BOF) and the electric arc furnace (EAF), use steel scrap to make new steel. The BOF consumes about 28 percent steel scrap to produce new steel. The EAF melts virtually 100 percent steel scrap to make new steel. More than 68 percent of the 103 million tons of new steel that poured from steelmaking furnaces in 1995 was obtained from melted scrap.

By weight, the average appliance consists of about 75 percent steel, which makes it an excellent feedstock of steel scrap for recycling into new steel.

Between 1990 and 1995, the national recycling rate for home appliances rose from 32 percent to 74.8 percent. More than 2.1 million tons of steel recovered from appliances were recycled in 1995.

Collecting Appliances

How can you recycle an appliance like your refrigerator or clothes washing machine? Actually, there are a variety of ways in which your old appliances can enter the recycling infrastructure. Call your local recycling or solid waste management office to determine if you live in one of the many communities that offers municipal pick-up of appliances. Most communities also allow residents to take their appliances to designated drop-off sites.

If your community doesn’t offer appliance recycling, there are still options. If you’re purchasing a new appliance, many retail establishments will accept your old one when they deliver the new one. To help residents reduce their monthly electric bills and total load on the power plant, utility companies occasionally work with communities to sponsor appliance “take back” programs for working appliances that are actually unneeded, such as the extra refrigerator in the garage or basement. And although they normally deal with bulk quantities, ferrous scrap yards will probably accept your appliance for recycling.

Of course, there’s another easy way to determine where you can recycle your appliance. Call the SRI’s toll-free consumer information line, 1-800-YES-1-CAN (937-1226). By calling the number, consumers can locate the closest option, by zip code, that accepts appliances for recycling or order information about appliance recycling.

Recycling Appliances

What happens to your old appliance once it is collected for recycling?

First, appliance processors normally remove components, such as electric motors, capacitors, switches and other mechanical parts, from the appliance. If the appliance is a refrigerator, freezer or some other type of appliance with cooling equipment, then its refrigerant gases must be captured and recycled. See the sidebar on the next page for more information about special processing considerations.

At a ferrous scrap processing yard, the appliance shell is then typically hoisted onto a conveyor belt, which feeds it to a massive automobile shredder. Its whirling hammers crush and shred the appliance into fist-sized chunks which exit the shredder onto a conveyor belt. The steel pieces are then magnetically separated from the other metals and plastics and shipped to steel mills for recycling into new steel. Nonferrous metals, such as copper and aluminum, are usually removed and recycled as well.

As about 75 percent of the average appliance is made from steel, the remaining material, such as plastic and rubber, is usually accumulated for disposal at a landfill.

Recycled Appliances

Appliances are not just recyclable, they’re also made from recycled steel. The steel used to make new appliances is made from about 28 percent recycled steel.

Environmental Benefits of Steel Recycling

Appliance recycling conserves energy, landfill space and natural resources. By recycling the extra refrigerator in the basement, residents save on their electric bill. Recycling bulky appliances leaves room for other solid waste to be landfilled. Of course, the steel industry benefits from recycling steel appliances as well. The 2.1 million tons of steel recovered from recycled appliances conserved more than 2 million tons of iron ore, nearly 1.5 million tons of coal, and 126,000 tons of limestone.

Processing Considerations

Some appliances have special processing considerations before a ferrous scrap processor can accept the appliance for recycling. Refrigerators, freezers and other appliances designed to cool contain refrigerant gasses like CFCs or HCFCs. By law, these refrigerant gases must be recovered before an appliance can be recycled. Some communities, therefore, charge residents a fee, usually between $10 and $20, to accept these types of appliances to cover the labor and equipment for these additional processing costs. Not all communities do so: on page 9, we profile how Pima County, AZ negotiated a contract with a local ferrous scrap processor to reduce these costs for their residents.

Refrigerant Gases

Legislation enacted more than 20 years ago has significantly altered the way appliances are processed for recycling today. Originally passed in 1970, the Clean Air Act was America’s first comprehensive legislation to cover emission of pollutants to the air. The act was later updated to reflect the goals of the 1987 Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer. This international agreement was signed by more than 100 nations and requires each country to cut its production of ozone depleting substances in half by 1998. Later, the Protocol was amended to include the complete phase-out of the production of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) by the year 1995.

As a result, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has mandated that, prior to recycling or disposal, any refrigerant gases that are deemed as ozone depleting and found in appliances must be captured for recycling. CFCs and hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), both considered ozone depleting coolants, are only found in appliances that refrigerate or cool.

The CFCs and HCFCs that are reclaimed are cleaned and reused in the maintenance and repair of other units. In some areas, scrap dealers have the CFC removal equipment and certified technicians to easily accomplish these procedures. In other areas, specialty recycling companies provide this service, either independently or in association with appliance dealers or the local government.

In either case, processors who are involved in the recycling of appliances are responsible for ensuring that the refrigerant gases have been reclaimed.

PCB Capacitors

Appliances often contain capacitors, which are electronic circuit devices for temporary storage of electrical energy. Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), a carcinogen, are oily fluids used as electrolytic substances in a small percentage of capacitors produced prior to the year 1979. PCBs were used in some capacitors for air conditioners and microwave ovens and, much less often, for refrigerators and freezers.

The Toxic Substances Control Act of 1968 banned the production and sale of PCBs after 1978, but allowed small capacitors used in household appliances to remain in service. Since the average life span of an appliance is 15 years, less than five percent of all appliances processed for recycling in 1988 contained PCB capacitors, according to the EPA. That small percentage is in all likelihood much smaller or virtually nonexistent today as many of these appliances have been recycled or disposed of.