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Recycling Indus try Yearbook
Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries, Inc.
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Paper Milling
Fibrous pulp is spread out on screens and absorptive mats
that move through heated rollers stretching, compressing,
and extracting moisture from the fiber. This process adheres
the fibers together to create a roll of paper.
Polymer Cracking
Petroleum distillates are often long complex chains of hydrocarbons and
natural gas is a mix of several types of hydrocarbon gases. In order to create
more uniform and adaptable products, those hydrocarbons are put into a
chamber with catalysts to lower energy costs that will “crack” apart the longer
chains into smaller blocks, such as ethylene and propylene, which are used to
build new polymer chains, also known as plastics.
Smelting and Refining
Beneficiated ore is heated until it melts with reducing agents that remove
non-metallic elements such as oxygen and sulfur. The resulting liquid metal
is separated from the slag similar to how the impurities are skimmed when
making broth and formed into working pieces such as ingots or billet. The
process to raise the temperature of the ore above 2000˚ F requires enormous
amounts of energy.
The scrap recycling industry connects
the ends of the manufacturing supply chain.
It has evolved in response to changing market
dynamics and represents a key component in
creating a circular economy.
2016 Volume of Scrap Material Processed
Annually in the United States
(metric tons)
Iron and Steel
65,000,000
Paper
52,196,000
Aluminum
4,930,000
Copper
1,750,000
Lead
1,115,000
Zinc
65,000
Plastics (bottles 2015)
623,000
Electronics
+ 5,000,000 (est.)
Tires (# of tires)
136,000,000