Stainless Steel and Sustainability
Sustainability has become a hot topic in recent years as the threat of climate change has continued to grow. Changes are being made across the board to improve sustainability, from individual consumers changing their shopping habits to major corporations working on large-scale construction projects. Stainless steel is one of the most sustainable construction materials and its use, already widespread, is further increasing.
So, what qualities does stainless steel have that make it such a sustainable material? To begin with, the metal is fully recyclable. Unlike with many other recyclable materials like plastic, which gradually degrades after each recycling process, the properties of stainless steel are retained when it is recycled. This is because, after melting and re-solidifying, the metallic bonds of the material are entirely restored and there is no effect on the metal's performance. This fact, in addition to the fact that stainless steel has such a high intrinsic value, means that the material has high rates of recapture.
Stainless steel is also extremely durable, standing up exceptionally well to weathering, corrosion and general wear and tear. This gives it an extensive service life which means that the need for replacement is vastly reduced, which in turn reduces the need to use virgin materials.
The versatile metal boasts an impressively-high solar reflective index and can thus reflect and dissipate heat. When used in architectural applications, this quality lowers power consumption by reducing the need for expensive, carbon-hungry air conditioning units.
As stainless steel is entirely non-toxic, it does not cause any damage to the health of humans or animals. It strongly resists any growth of bacteria and so is widely used in the medical, catering and food-processing industries. The low-maintenance material can be easily and quickly cleaned without having to use harsh chemicals that can have negative effects on the environment.
At BS Stainless, we work hard to ensure that our environmental impact is kept to an absolute minimum. We ensure that our packaging processes produce little waste; any waste that is produced is recycled wherever this is possible and we dispose of any non-recyclable waste in a safe, correct manner. Our power usage is kept low in various ways, including with the use of environmentally-conscious lighting.
Please browse the BS Stainless website to find out more about the products we supply and the applications they are used for. BS Stainless: your partner for stainless steel.