Steel the Most Recycled Material in the World
The American Iron & Steel Institute (AISI) reports in 2010 steel retained an 88% overall recycling rate which is extremely high. It is the most recycled material on the planet.
Information on Our GREEN Building Manufactures
Nucor
Nucor is the nation’s largest recycler. They recycle more than 20 million tons of steel per year.
| 2007 Recycled Steel Content for Nucor Products | |
| Product Group | Average Recycle Content |
| Building Systems Products | 87% |
| Vulcraft Decking (Mezzanines) | 68% |
| Light Gauge Framing | 68% |
NCI Group
NCI offers a variety of green building options.
Metal Roof & Wall Panel- 25% minimum recycled materials
Metal Buildings- 30%-50% recycled materials.
Recycling Facts
Recyclability and Durability
At the end of their useful life, about 88% of all steel products and nearly 100% of structural steel beams and plates used in construction are recycled into new products. In addition to the recyclable factors of steel metal building durability plays a big part. Metal roofs and wall panels can reduce waste due to their unmatched durability and resistance to fire, wind and insects.
Energy Efficiency
The Steel Industry has improved its energy efficiency by 27% since 1990. Metal building manufactures like Nucor use the Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) which is a process of melting old steel and turning it into new. EAF mills also emit fewer pollutants with a total emissions savings/ton of 85#. A recycled ton of scrap metal conserves:
|
|
| 83% total energy consumption savings vs. traditional steel making process | |
Recycled Content of Fiberglass Insulation (Percentages are by Weight)
| Total Recycled Content | 42.5% |
| Post-Consumer Recycled Content | 36.5% |
| Post Industrial Recycled Content | 6.0% |