Can steel be recycled?

06 November 2025

Yes, very easily.

# Steel is 100% recyclable. It can be recycled again and again without losing quality. A steel beam can become another beam, a car door, a refrigerator, or a roof panel.
When you invest in a steel building, you are investing in recycled material.

Because it is strong and durable, steel products can also be reused before they are recycled.
This makes steel a key material in the circular economy. Recycling steel saves natural resources and keeps valuable materials out of landfills.

# Steel is also easy to collect. Its magnetic properties help separate it from other waste.
Every year, millions of tons of steel are recovered for recycling instead of disposal.

In North America, 60 to 80 million tons of scrap steel are recycled into new products each year.
Over the past 30 years, more than one billion tons have been reused.
On average, the U.S. recycles enough steel scrap every day to build 25 Eiffel Towers.

# Recycling steel also cuts emissions and saves energy.
Recycling the steel from one car avoids the emissions equal to burning 150 gallons of gasoline.
Recycling one refrigerator saves 215 pounds of CO₂.
Every year, steel from 12 million appliances is recycled.
Even one steel food can saves enough energy to power a 10-watt LED light for a full day.
Multiply that by 20 billion cans recycled each year, and the energy savings are huge.

Recycling steel saves enough energy to power 18 million homes annually.
Each ton of steel recycled saves 2,500 lbs of iron ore, 1,400 lbs of coal, and 120 lbs of limestone.

# The recycling process also creates jobs.
In North America, more than 530,000 people work in steel scrap recycling, generating over $110 billion in economic activity.

Source: American Iron and steel institute

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