Metal Recycling Facts And Figures

Basic Facts About Ferrous and Non-Ferrous Metals

Source: https://www.thebalance.com
When it comes to facts and figures about scrap metal, we are looking at a range of
materials from building demolition to clothes hangers, and when it comes down to it,
it can all be recycled. Generally, scrap metals are classified into two categories:
Non-Ferrous Metals and Ferrous Metals.
Lets have a look on some of the useful facts and figures on both of these categories
of metals:
Non-Ferrous Metal Recycling Facts:

25,000 Statues of Liberty can be built with copper that the United States of
America recycles per year.

Currently, 20 percent of the world supply of recovered copper is provided by

the US.

Copper and copper alloy scraps account for nearly half of the total copper
consumed annually in America.

Aluminum was first discovered in the 1820s and until now it is the most
abundant metal available on earth. And Aluminum is a very sustainable metal.
About two-thirds of all aluminum produced ever is still in use.

92 percent of energy can be saved by using aluminum scrap instead of virgin

materials in the production of different aluminum products.

Recycling just one aluminum can will save sufficient energy to run a 100 watt
light bulb for around 20 hours, a TV set for around two hours and a computer
for around three hours.

The scrap aluminum that is thrown away every month in the U.S. is enough to
rebuild the entire American air fleet.

Nearly 75 percent of all aluminum ever produced is still in use. Over 66

percent of aluminum beverage containers were recycled in 2013 (U.S.), the
equivalent of 60 billion cans.

According to one study, 91 percent of all automobile aluminum is recycled.

In the year 2014, the US scrap industry processed 0.83 million metric tons of
copper and 3.4 million metric tons of aluminum.

Ferrous Metal Recycling Facts:

In 2015, more than 67 million metric tons of ferrous metal were recycled by
the US scrap industry. In that year, the USA ferrous scrap metal industry was
valued approximately $30.1 billion.

Currently, USA is the largest exporter of ferrous scrap metal in the world. In
2015, the US exported approximately 37 million metric tons of scrap metal,
generating $17.5 billion.

With the ferrous scrap metal processed in the US, 25 Eiffel Towers can be
built daily for a year. Another estimate says, every year, more than 250 billion
lbs. of scrap material which can be used to produce more than 70 million cars
is generated in the U.S.

Recycling steel consumes 60 percent less energy than producing steel

products from iron ore.

58 percent of CO2 emissions can be reduced by using ferrous scrap instead

of virgin materials in the production of steel and iron.

A steel mill that uses recycled steel reduces air and water pollution by around
70 percent.

Every day, approximately 100 million steel and tin cans are used by
Americans.

By recycling every ton of steel, we save 120 pounds of limestone, 1,000

pounds of coal and 2,500 pounds of iron ore.

Recycling every car we save 120 lbs. of limestone, 1,400 lbs. of coal and
2,500 lbs. of iron ore.