2019 Recycling Industry Yearbook

ISRI.ORG 3 TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction to Recycling What Is Recycling? 4 Where Does Scrap Come From? 4 The Recycling Process 5 Quality, Environment, Health, and Safety 6 Transporting Scrap 7 Global Supply and Demand 7 Scrap Commodity Markets 8 The Role of Specifications 9 Recycling’s Benefits, Challenges, and Opportunities Economic Benefits of Recycling 10 Environmental Benefits of Recycling 11 Trade Benefits of Recycling 12 China’s Impact on Global Recycling 13 Major Scrap Commodities Iron and Steel 18 Nonferrous Metal 22 Recovered Paper and Fiber 34 Plastics 38 Electronics 42 Tires and Rubber 46 Glass 50 Textiles 52 Statistical Appendixes Appendix A: Historical Production, 55 Recovery, and Consumption Data Appendix B: Global Scrap Exports 58 by Commodity Appendix C: Global Flows by 60 Country and Year