Allan Gerlat, News Editor

November 19, 2012

1 Min Read
Steel Recycling Increases to Record High

The recycling rate for steel has reached an all-time high of 92 percent, according to the Steel Recycling Institute (SRI).

The Pittsburgh-based recycling association said that the amount of steel scrap consumed by steelmaking furnaces in 2011 increased nearly 10 million net tons to 85 million tons, according to a news release.

The recycling rate for steel packaging also reached a record high of 70.8 percent, with more than 1.5 million net tons of steel recycled, the SRI said. Automotive recycling was level at 94.5 percent, as was appliance recycling at 90 percent, and construction at 98 percent for construction plates and beams and 70 percent for construction rebar.

“This high level of scrap consumption is a reflection of the North American steel industry’s commitment to conserving energy and natural resources,” said Gregory Crawford, executive director of SRI.

About the Author(s)

Allan Gerlat

News Editor, Waste360

Allan Gerlat joined the Waste360 staff in September 2011 as news editor. He was the editor of Waste & Recycling News for the first 16 years of its history, and under his guidance the publication won 27 national and regional awards.

Before Waste & Recycling News, Allan worked at another Crain Communications publication, Rubber & Plastics News, which covers rubber product manufacturing. He began with the publication as associate editor and eventually became managing editor, a position he held for nine years.

Allan is a graduate of Ohio University, where he earned a BS in journalism. He is based in Sagamore Hills, in northeast Ohio.

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