Scrap Recycling Industry Facts

The U.S.-based scrap recycling industry is a sophisticated, capital-intensive industry and the first link in the manufacturing supply chain. The industry processes more than 150 million tons of recyclable material each year into raw material feedstock for industrial manufacturing around the world. For more than 200 years, scrap recycling has been, and continues to be, integral to the U.S. economy, global trade and resource sustainability.

$65 billion industry in 2006

50,000 employees

150 million tons of scrap materials recycled annually including:

• 81.4 million tons of iron and steel
• 53.3 million tons of paper
• 4.5 million tons of aluminum
• 1.8 million tons of copper
• 1.4 million tons of lead
• 459,000 tons of zinc
• 3.5 million tons of glass
• 957,500 tons of plastic (bottles)
• 750,000 tons of electronics
• 111 million tires

Specification-grade scrap is a raw material feedstock for U.S. manufacturing:

• 2 out of 3 pounds of steel made in the U.S. is manufactured using ferrous scrap.
• 60% of the metals and alloys produced in the U.S. are made from nonferrous scrap.
• More than 50% of the U.S. paper industry's needs are met through the use of scrap paper with nearly 200 U.S. paper mills using only recycled paper.
• 33% of U.S. aluminum supply comes from recycled materials.

Recent independent research shows there is enough material to meet domestic manufacturers' demand for recycled materials for the foreseeable future.

Scrap has been an important export commodity from the U.S. for more than a century.

In 2006:
$15.7 billion worth of scrap commodities exported, helping U.S. trade balances.

Second-largest export to China in dollar value (behind electronic components).

34 million tons of scrap exported

• 16 million metric tons of paper
• 13,540,000 metric tons of iron and steel
• 1,481,000 metric tons of aluminum
• 1,396,000 metric tons of nickel and stainless steel
• 803,000 metric tons of copper
• 343,000 metric tons of plastic (bottles only)
• 121,000 metric tons of lead
• 84,000 metric tons of zinc
• 7 million tires

Scrap exported to 143 countries. Leading export destinations include:

• China
• Canada
• South Korea
• Mexico
• Germany
• Taiwan
• Turkey
• Japan
• United Kingdom
• India

Environment

Reduces greenhouse gas emissions by requiring significantly less energy to manufacture products from recyclables than virgin ore and by avoiding landfilling.

Energy saved using recycled materials vs. virgin ore:

• 95% for aluminum
• 85% for copper
• 80% for plastic
• 74% for iron and steel
• 64% for paper

Conserves natural resources. Recycling one ton of:

• Paper saves 17 trees, 79 gallons of oil, 7000 gallons of water, and 3.3 cubic yards of landfill.
• Steel conserves 2500 lbs. of iron ore, 1400 lbs. of coal and 120 lbs. of limestone.
• Aluminum conserves up to 8 tons of bauxite ore, and 14 megawatt hours of electricity.

Diverts 150 million tons of materials away from landfills.

Cleaner air and water from safely removing potentially hazardous materials and keeping them out of landfills.

• Mercury switches removed from older automobiles.
• Lead recovered from computer monitors.
• Various harmful chemicals safely recycled from electronics.