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Global Stainless Steel Manufacturing and Scrap Cycle

The use of stainless steel has been characterized for 51 countries and the world for the years 2000 and 2005. We find that the global stainless steel flow-into-use increased by more than 30% in that 5 year period, as did additions to in-use stocks. This growth was mainly driven by China, which accounted for almost half of the global growth in stainless steel crude production and which tripled its flow into use between 2000 and 2005. The global stainless steel-specific end-of-life recycling rate increased from 66% (2000) to 70% (2005); the landfilling rate was 22% for both years, and 9% (2000) to 12% (2005) was lost into recycled carbon and alloy steels. Within just 5 years, China passed such traditionally strong stainless steel producers and users as Japan, USA, Germany, and South Korea to become the dominant player of the stainless steel industry. However, China did not produce any significant stainless steel end-of-life flows in 2000 or 2005 because its products-in-use are still too new to require replacements. Major Chinese discard flows are expected to begin between 2015 and 2020.

 

(Reck et al. 2010. Global stainless steel cycle exemplifies China's rise to metal dominance. Environmental Science & Technology 44 (10): 3940-3946)

Source: Center for Industrial Ecology, Yale University
Uploaded 8/4/2010Open this document (from this website)
Recycled for lasting value

In under four minutes, this video shows stainless steel as a champion of recycling, with around 90% of end-of-life stainless steel being collected and recycled into new stainless steel – without loss of quality.  Durability and recyclability are two of the key contributions which stainless steel makes to sustainability.

 

This video is available in 18 languages. Clicking on the language will open the video: Chinese, Czech, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish (Castilian and Mexican), Swedish, Thai and Turkish

Source: Team Stainless
Uploaded 6/3/2010Open this document (from this website)
Recycling stainless steel

Today, environmental issues are important criteria for material selection. In evaluating the environmental properties of a material, recycling is a key element. This presentation looks at the recycling of stainless steel in greater detail.

Source: International Stainless Steel Forum (ISSF)
Uploaded 4/17/2009Open this document (from this website)
Raising Awareness of Stainless Steel Recycling

The International Stainless Steel Forum (ISSF) announced it has launched an advertising campaign jointly with the Nickel Institute. The campaign is designed to inform the public that stainless steel is one of the world’s most recycled materials and that it is recycled more than paper or glass.

Source: ISSF/Nickel Institute
Uploaded 4/3/2007Open this document | Email this document
Metals industry publishes declaration on recycling for sustainable development

Recycled content of metals and alloys is a poor indicator of environmental performance and may discourage the efficient production and use of recycled metals, according to a broad coalition of metal industry associations including the International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM).

Source: International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM)
Uploaded 4/3/2007Open this document | Email this document
Nickel Recycling

Nickel is a natural element, a part of nature. It is inherently recyclable and large volumes of nickel are recycled every day.

Source: Nickel Institute
Uploaded 3/20/2007Open this document (from another website)