Can Stainless Steel be Recycled?
In a world of dwindling resources where climate change is no longer just a threat but is a tangible, frightening force, the need to use materials in the most sustainable manner possible is paramount. Recycling is one of the best ways to reduce the amount of energy and raw materials used in production processes.
Stainless steel stands head and shoulders above almost any other material in this important regard as it is completely recyclable and this is done on a massive scale. Data from the International Stainless Steel Forum shows that, on average, any item made from stainless steel contains around 60% recycled material.
What makes stainless steel so special when it comes to the issue of recycling is that the ubiquitous material does not degrade during the process, unlike the vast majority of other recyclable materials. No matter how many times stainless steel is recycled, it retains 100% of its crucial performance qualities such as its durability, strength and suitability for reuse.
When it arrives there, the stainless steel is sorted to separate different types like ferritic, austenitic and martensitic. After sorting, the items are fed into a powerful shredder which renders the material into small pieces to make the process more efficient and easier.
The shredded pieces then travel to an electric arc furnace and are heated to an extremely high temperature, causing the stainless steel to melt. At this stage, various chemicals are added which remove any impurities that may affect the quality of the recycled material. Next, the molten metal is poured into large moulds before solidifying into pieces that are often referred to as ingots. Once completely solid, these ingots are ready to be formed into new, more manageable shapes such as stainless steel strips or wire.
The answer to the question 'can stainless steel be recycled?' is therefore a loud and resounding 'YES'!
BS Stainless is absolutely committed to environmental sustainability and, after much hard work, were recently awarded the ISO 14001 environmental standard. Our commitment is ongoing and we have created a project called ECOTEGRITY, which you can find out more about on our website or by getting in touch with our team.