Scrap metal recycling impacts us and the planet in many different ways. Here’s 10 interesting facts about scrap metal recycling.
- Scrap metal recycling as we know it today has evolved into a major industry and because of this it employs more than 100,000 people in Australia alone.
- Recycling one tonne of steel saves 1,136 kg of iron ore, 454 kg of coal and 18 kg of limestone
- Metal recycling helps recreated new product once the original items has reached the end of its useful life.
- Recycling scrap metals including iron and aluminum can be benefit local construction project such as roads and bridges.
- Reusing scrap metal has supported many industries to reduce their environment impact e.g. reduced mining of natural and scare resources.
- Recycled aluminum can be melted at a much lower temperature than new aluminum therefore saving on energy.
- Scrap metal recycling helps reduce Co2 emissions created through mining, transport and smelting.
- Recycling scrap metal reduces the need for landfills sites and leads to a positive effect on water supply, soil and land usage.
- In addition recycling reduces greenhouse gasses by making a huge saving on the amount of energy needed to manufacture the equivalent products. This energy saved can be used in better ways to power our vehicles or heat our homes.
- Many non-ferrous metals including copper, nickel, tin, lead and zinc are among only a handful of materials that won’t degrade or lose their physical/chemical properties during the recycling process. As a result many non-ferrous metals have the ability to be recycled an infinite number of times without weakening the end product.
