New York -- Approximately 60,000 tons of steel from the World Trade Center (WTC) have been shipped to recyclers around the world, mostly to South Korea and certain U.S. cities. The steel is being used to make soup cans, appliances, car engines, buildings and most recently, medallions.
Metal Management Northeast, Newark, N.J., sold about 500 tons of steel from the twin towers to International Agile Manufacturing, Statesboro, Ga., to make commemorative medallions honoring those lost in the terrorist attacks. But the idea is not sitting well with victims' families, who contend that the steel still must be investigated to determine how the towers collapsed. Many families also have seen this as a way for the company to make a profit off of their loss.
International Agile insists that it means no offense and has pledged to donate 10 percent of its profits to the Fund for the City of New York, although the fund denies approval of the donation.
The medallions are made from an alloy that is 25 percent recycled WTC steel. The company said it would have made them from 100 percent WTC steel, but it would have cost significantly more. International Agile says that it has enough steel to forge 6 million medallions. To date, approximately 10,000 have been sold.