Steel remains one of the world’s most recycled items and at Hawkeswood Metal Recycling we welcome all grades of iron for recycling that can be segregated and shredded ready to be melted down and purified for reuse.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT RECYCLING STEEL/IRON
Steel is known as a ferrous material with highly magnetic properties. Steel is an iron alloy containing carbon and remains the most recycled material in the world. The most commonly recycled iron items include:
- Scrap materials following industrial processes
- End-of-life containers
- End-of-life appliances
- Industrial machinery
- Construction materials.
The recycling of steel has become a vital part of the 21st-century steel industry; improving its profitability whilst minimizing its impact on the wider environment.
ferrous metal
THE STEEL RECYCLING CHAIN EXPLAINED
The ferrous metal recycling process comprises of five key steps:
- Sorting
As steel is magnetic, it can be quickly separated from other recyclable metals within a metal recycling facility using powerful magnetic belts. - Shredding
Shredders feature rotating magnetic drums that extract steel and steel from the mixture of metals and other materials. - Media separation
The next level of separation involves electrical currents, high-pressure air flows and liquid floating systems. Further processes may be required for steel that has a protective layer of tin (e.g. a drinks can) that must be removed and recycled independently. - Shearing
This involves hydraulic machinery which exerts considerable pressure to cut the thickest, heaviest pieces of steel: the type recovered from railway lines and cruise liners. Other cutting techniques, such as the use of gas and plasma arch, may also be employed to good effect. - Baling
This process involves the compacting of steel and steel products into large blocks, making them significantly easier to move and transport.
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