Steel is a metal alloy made up of iron and carbon, and is also one of the oldest materials used by humanity. Because of its versatility, the possibility of using it was soon discovered. steel recycling.
This process is as old as its use. It's practical, reduces environmental impact, and the metal still retains its properties. Metal alloys are used in a variety of materials, the main ones being steel, stainless steel, bronze, gold, and brass.
To show you how effective it is, we've put together a step-by-step guide to demonstrate it, along with its advantages and some interesting facts to keep you up to date. So, let's get started!
Steel recycling is a relatively simple process, but it requires special equipment and facilities. The steel recycling system can be broken down into a few basic steps, as outlined below.
Steel can be found in a variety of products, including cars, cans of food, appliances, buildings, and bridges. To recycle it, it is first collected and separated from non-metallic materials, such as plastics and glass, which may be combined.
Whatever is collected is transported to a recycling facility, where it is shredded into smaller pieces to facilitate smelting. Shredding also helps remove any impurities from the material.
After the previous step, the element is subjected to a magnetic separation process to remove any remaining impurities and separate other ferrous and non-ferrous metals.
What remains is placed in melting furnaces, where it is heated to high temperatures and melted into a liquid. The liquid steel is poured into molds for create products.
After being molded, it can be laminated and formed into various solid structures and resistant, such as beams, tubes, wires, sheets, among other options, in various industries.
From the previous process, you can understand how steel recycling works. Basically, it begins with the selective collection of discarded materials, which are then separated and pressed into bales for easier transportation and storage for steel mills.
In the mill, the steel is heated to high temperatures until it becomes liquid and can be molded into various products. In other words, it's a quick process and can be repeated multiple times without losing the metal's quality.
An interesting fact about steel recycling is the percentage of scrap in the composition, which varies depending on the type of material produced and the process used by the steel mill.
On average, steel produced from scrap can contain from 25% to 100% of recycled material, depending on the quality and specifications of the final product.
In some cases, it may be used as the main raw material in production, while in other projects, it is added in smaller quantities to adjust the properties of the item.
In any case, the use of scrap is an important and increasingly common practice in the steel industry, as it is a sustainable and economical process when compared to the manufacture of steel from iron ore.
Want to learn more about this beneficial process? There are still other interesting facts to discover. Follow along below!
Steel's complete renewability makes it an economical material. Steel can be recovered without losing its original qualities. This reduces the cost of the material.
Steel recycling in Brazil tends to follow the global trend in this regard, which increasingly encourages this action that is so beneficial to the planet and society.
During the steelmaking process, the blast furnace generates pig iron and slag. Pig iron is mixed with other materials to form steel, while slag is formed by materials considered impurities in this process.
Slag is not used in steelmaking. However, it is used when we consider the use of recycled steel in civil construction, for paving and as a base material for cement. Even though it is not directly involved in the process, slag is not discarded.
Steel recycling is part of the circular economy. This economic concept is based on sustainable development through the reduction, recovery, reuse, and recycling of materials.
Reducing the steelmaking process preserves non-renewable natural resources and reduces CO₂ emissions into the atmosphere. CO₂ is one of the main greenhouse gases and is harmful to human health.
The steel recycling process is relatively simple, as you saw at the beginning of this article. Often, the recycled material doesn't even need to be sent to the blast furnace; it can be melted and mixed with other materials in electric arc furnaces. This reduces production and raw material costs.
The recycling process is beneficial for industries, sustainable, and contributes to income generation. Some organizations encourage selective collection to increase the amount of recycled steel.
Steel is the most recycled metal in the world, with a recycling rate of around 90%, according to the World Steel Association. This means that most of the production is eventually reused in some way.
So, it's not just small structures that receive this material, but also bridges and buildings, for example. This is what we see in the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France, which was built with recycled steel.
Did you know that it's possible to save 1,140 kg of iron ore for every ton of steel recycled? Recycling steel reduces our dependence on iron ore, a limited natural resource.
In other words, it ensures that steel continues to be a viable option for the production of many products in the future, in addition to preserving iron in nature, so that the resource does not run out in a few years.
Preserving natural resources is one of the main reasons for recycling metals. This reduces the need to extract new resources, reducing pressure on the environment.
It also helps reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills, extending the lifespan of these sites and reducing the need for new construction. After all, metal elements take hundreds of years to completely decompose.
Not to mention that the process requires less energy than production from minerals. Recycling aluminum, for example, consumes only 5% of the energy required to produce aluminum from minerals.
Another interesting factor is water conservation. Extracting the minerals that produce metals requires a lot of water, which can result in excessive costs and impacts on the planet.
There are many advantages, as we have seen throughout the text. For example, there is no difference between an object made of stainless steel, which has recycled steel in its composition, and another that does not. The quality between the two is the same!
There are essentially no barriers to steel recycling and its use. Because its properties are controlled and no losses occur during the process, it can be used in construction, household appliances, furniture, and more. Therefore, steel can and should be recycled according to its intended application.
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