strategy
Recycling steel cans
Context:
Because of steel's unique magnetic properties, collection of steel cans is relatively simple, relieving the consumer of much of the burden of separation in many geographic regions where magnetic separation is utilized. Implementation:
In the USA, nearly 19 billion steel cans were remelted into new products in 1997 -- about 600 cans per second. Steel can recycling rates have increased from 15 percent in 1988 to 58.2 percent in 1996, resulting in a diversion of 1.6 million tons of steel from landfills. More than 28 percent of a new steel can is made from recycled steel. 4,300 programmes across the United States now collecting empty steel and aluminium aerosol cans for recycling. The amount of steel cans recovered in 1996 (more than 1.6 million tons) would yield enough steel to build 21 new structures the size of the Sears Tower in Chicago.In Brazil in 1999, 35% of steel cans were recycled, equivalent to 250,000 tonnes per year.
Broader:
Recycling beverage containers Subjects:
Type Classification:
G: Very Specific strategies