Steel is the most recycled materials on the planet. More of it is recycled every year than all other materials in the world combined, with more than 12 million tonnes being recycled in 2016 alone.

Steel is one of the most reused materials in the world. Here we take a look at why steel is recycled.

The metallurgic properties of steel mean that when it is recycled, no degradation occurs whatsoever. This means that it can be melted down and reused an infinite amount of times without being compromised in any way.

This is just one of the reasons it is one of the most ubiquitous materials in the world – used for everything from packaging to shipbuilding to infrastructure. Let’s take a look at how and why steel is recycled.

Why Recycle Steel?

Recycling steel is very important for preserving energy and natural resources than producing it from scratch consumes. Just to put things in perspective, here are some stats from Planet Ark.

• Making steel cans from recycled material uses 75% less energy than producing them from raw materials.

• Recycling 1kg of steel keeps 2kg of greenhouse gases out of the atmosphere. Recycling steel diverts these products from landfill, and enables the material to be reprocessed, thereby conserving raw materials.

• For every tonne of steel recycled 1131 kg of iron ore, 633 kg of coal and 54 kg of limestone are saved.