2008 overall steel recycling rate hits all-time high

2008 overall steel recycling rate hits all-time high. The Steel Recycling Institute (SRI) announced today that the overall steel recycling rate for the world’s, and America’s, most recycled material—steel—reached a record high of 83.3%. This means that more than 82 million tons of domestic steel scrap was charged into furnaces, both in the United States and abroad, to make new steel products to be used by the steel industry’s customers in meeting consumers’ needs, said SRI. "All new steel made in the North America contains a minimum of 28% steel scrap with some processes using upwards of 90% steel scrap to make new steel," said Bill Heenan, president of the Steel Recycling Institute(SRI). "Steel continues to be recycled at a higher volume than paper, plastic, glass, copper and aluminum combined, and the steel can still holds the distinction of being food’s and beverage’s most recycled container." Appliance recycling rates remained stable at 90% as did structural steel at 97.5%, SRI said.