Steel Recycling Increases to Record High

The recycling rate for steel has reached an all-time high of 92 percent, according to the Steel Recycling Institute (SRI).

The Pittsburgh-based recycling association said that the amount of steel scrap consumed by steelmaking furnaces in 2011 increased nearly 10 million net tons to 85 million tons, according to a news release.

The recycling rate for steel packaging also reached a record high of 70.8 percent, with more than 1.5 million net tons of steel recycled, the SRI said. Automotive recycling was level at 94.5 percent, as was appliance recycling at 90 percent, and construction at 98 percent for construction plates and beams and 70 percent for construction rebar.

“This high level of scrap consumption is a reflection of the North American steel industry’s commitment to conserving energy and natural resources,” said Gregory Crawford, executive director of SRI.