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THE I SR I SCRAP YEARBOOK
2016
INSTITUTE OF SCRAP RECYCLING INDUSTRIES, INC.
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The three most common modes of domestic scrap transport
are by truck, rail, and barge, in addition to intermodal
shipments that use more than one mode. Each mode of
shipments has its own costs and benefits.
While shipping via
trucks can be a high
per-unit cost option,
trucks are a significant
mode of domestic
transport for scrap,
especially for intra-
regional scrap flows.
Shipment by rail can be a less costly option per ton than
trucking and railcars have a greater tonnage capacity than
trucks, although during times of tight railcar availability
this mode of transport can be less predictable. In the U.S.,
according to figures from the Association of American
Railroads, more than 36 million tons of scrap and waste
materials originated on Class I railroads in 2015.
Barges and domestic waterborne shipments are a third
major mode of transport for scrap. While adverse weather
conditions can significantly impact barge traffic, barges are
often the lowest-cost option on a per unit basis.
The containerization
of scrap shipments
opened overseas
markets to a much
wider range of U.S.
scrap processors,
although a large
portion of U.S. scrap
exports are still shipped
as bulk (unpackaged) cargo. In 2015, the U.S. exported
more than 37 million metric tons of scrap around the world.
According to data from the United Nations Comtrade
database, 190 million tons of scrap valued at more than $80
billion were exported globally in 2015.
How Is Scrap Transported?