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THE I SR I SCRAP YEARBOOK
2016
INSTITUTE OF SCRAP RECYCLING INDUSTRIES, INC.
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As a result, more than 800 million metric tons of scrap metal,
recovered paper and fiber, plastic scrap, used electronics,
and other scrap commodities are consumed globally each
year. As the world’s largest supplier of scrap, the United
States processed more than 130 million metric tons of
scrap commodities in 2015, providing vital raw materials to
manufacturers and helping to fuel global growth.
Keep reading for more
information about how the
scrap industry works and
has evolved in response to
changing market dynamics.
But first, let’s review what
we mean when we’re talking
about scrap.
Volume of Scrap Material Processed
Annually in the U.S.
(metric tons)
MATERIAL
2015
Iron and Steel
67,000,000
Paper
47,210,000
Aluminum
5,014,000
Copper
1,784,000
Lead
1,166,000
Zinc
120,000
Plastics (bottles)
634,000 (2014)
Electronics
+5,000,000 (est.)
Tires (# of tires)
122,000,000