April 5, 2023 Recycled Cars and the Steel Industry

Did you know your car can be recycled? Keep reading to learn more about the connection between the auto industry and the steel industry.

When buying or leasing a new car, you might wonder about the environmental impact your vehicle will have. While there is a push to transition to electric cars, they can be expensive and difficult to maintain, depending on where you live. However, the recycled car and steel manufacturing industries are in the process of finding new ways to make their practices more sustainable and environmentally friendly.

Steel Recycling in the Automotive Industry

Most households have at least one car if not two. With new models coming out frequently, buying or leasing a car every few years is not uncommon. However, this can harm the environment. Sustainable manufacturing practices are becoming more crucial than ever. One of the most promising practices lies in steel recycling from automobiles, which reduces waste and offers many opportunities for innovative construction methods.

Repurposing Recycled Steel for Innovative Construction Methods

The amount of materials recycled from automobiles is staggering. According to Waste Advantage Magazine, 25 million tons of material are recycled from cars yearly, while the steel industry repurposes over 14 million tons of steel from end-of-life vehicles. With such a high volume, there’s room to repurpose the steel for other forms of manufacturing.

In 2019, worldwide steel scrap consumption reached approximately 491 million metric tons, making steel one of the most widely recycled materials globally. This gives the industry the chance to get creative with repurposing recycled steel because it is so highly used, which allows them to move into different sectors than just the automobile industry.

We see steel everywhere, from everything to scaffolding and buildings to furniture, even to art, it’s hard to think of things that don’t use steel. The ability to recycle and reuse it several times over is a major advantage of this material. Not only does it maintain its quality through the recycling process, but it’s cheaper than mining and manufacturing it from scratch.

The Benefits of Using Recycled Steel in Construction

Recycling steel from cars offers several substantial benefits to the construction industry. For instance, while it takes more than 40 trees to create a wood-frame home, only about four recycled steel cars are required to build a 2,000-square-foot house. Not only does this reduce the carbon footprint associated with wood-based construction, but it also has the potential to save thousands of trees.

Advanced High-Strength Steels and Their Role in Sustainability

The industry isn’t just focused on working with current materials and developing new types of steel. Advanced high-strength steels, or AHSS, are lighter, stronger, and have a lower life cycle impact. They are the fastest-growing material in new vehicles today and allow manufacturers to decrease a vehicle’s structural weight, which significantly reduces the carbon footprint of vehicles throughout their lifespan.

Ongoing Advancements in the Steel Industry

These steels benefit the environment in each car’s life cycle stage. During the manufacturing phase, the steel uses low energy and has a small emissions footprint. When they hit the driving phase, the materials contribute to a substantial reduction, translating into improved fuel efficiency. By the time a vehicle reaches the end of its life cycle, the steel is completely recyclable, which means the original valuable resources used in the car can now be repurposed for the future rather than abandoned in a waste disposal site.

With such high volumes of steel being used in cars, finding ways to recycle it is invaluable. The steel industry will continue to find ways to use those materials for different types of manufacturing and construction methods and develop new products using steel. After all, with such high recycling rates, steel will grow as an invaluable resource for a more environmentally-friendly and conscious future. These ongoing advancements within the industry will shape our approach to manufacturing and construction and how we view transportation.

Cars are a crucial method of transportation throughout the U.S., especially in suburban and rural areas where public transit is less readily available. You probably rely on your vehicle to run errands, work, and take your kids to school. Choosing a new car can be overwhelming, both from a quality standpoint and a sustainability one. When researching your next car, consider one made of recycled materials, allowing you to make a positive impact on the environment.

Subscribe to Industry Today