The rewards of reusing

Want to save the planet? Recycling steel is a good place to start. From cans to cars, no other substance is recycled as much.

Steel is the most recycled material in the world — including nearly 70 million tonnes in the United States alone in 2006. More steel is recycled annually than all other materials, including aluminium, glass and paper combined. More than 95 per cent of the water used for steelmaking is recycled — often returning water cleaner than when taken from its source.

One of the easiest ways for consumers to make a difference and think green is by starting small with steel cans. We rely on these cans for packaging our food in durable,
tamper-resistant, shelf-stable containers.

We reach for them when we want a quick snack of soup, or tomatoes for the base of a pasta sauce. We empty their contents into dog and cat food dishes for our pets. We
even polish our furniture and paint our homes with their contents.

You may not realise it, but you probably use at least one steel can every day. The familiar "tin" can has been part of our society for more than a century. Steel cans package a variety of products, including fruits, vegetables, soups, sauces, meats, condiments, juice, pet food, cleaning products, paint, shoe polish, adhesive bandages, coffee and even cookies. And of course steel cans are also something else — recyclable. To prepare cans for recycling, all you have to do is empty them. Place the lids inside the cans and recycle both.

Staying on the domestic front, home appliances are systems of mechanical and electrical components encased in steel shells or bodies. Various operating parts are made of steel or iron. An inherent part of our lives, these appliances provide convenience and fulfill essential roles from the kitchen to the laundry. By weight, the typical appliance consists of about 75 per cent steel. This steel is recyclable, as is all steel, and is being recycled today. The steel used in appliances is made with a minimum of 25 per cent recycled steel. In addition, internal steel components may be made using either 25 per cent or virtually 100 per cent recycled steel. For this reason, all appliances contain recycled steel and are recyclable when they have reached the end of their useful lives.

Something else most of us use every day are our cars. We depend on them to transport us from place to place safely and auto manufacturers depend on steel to protect their customers. In addition to its strength, durability and dependability, steel is also recyclable and contains recycled steel. By weight, the typical passenger car consists of about 65 per cent steel and iron.

The steel used in car bodies is made with about 25 per cent recycled steel. Many internal steel and iron parts are made using even higher percentages of recycled steel. All steel products contain recycled steel because steel scrap is a necessary ingredient in the production of new steel.

Despite their complex construction, cars are one of today's most recycled commodities. Whole automobiles are simply not landfilled as the steel and iron components, which make up nearly 65 per cent of the average vehicle, are too valuable. Instead, virtually all of the steel and iron are recovered for reuse and recycling along with most of the other metals, such as aluminium, copper and lead. As a result, the recycling rate averages about 100 per cent each year.

For more information on steel and steel recycling, visit the Steel Recycling Institute's website at www.recycle-steel.org.

- Courtesy: Steel Recycling Institute

Resourceful recycling

A construction recycling plant in Sharjah's Al Saja'a industrial area is part of Sharjah Municipality's move to encourage recycling. The emirate produces more than 7,000 tonnes of waste a day, where more than 50 per cent of it is made up of construction waste. According to Humaid Al Mualla, Project Engineer at Sharjah Municipality, the plant, which opened last month, receives steel, sand and concrete, in addition to all the other materials used for construction. The waste is then sorted according to size and composition.

The recycled steel will be sold to construction companies at less than half the original cost. The price for steel is approximately Dh4,500 per tonne, while the recycled steel will be sold at Dh1,500 per tonne, said Al Mualla.