Steel
Recovered steel can be re-melted and used again and again to produce new products. For every ton of steel recycled, 2,500 pounds of iron ore, 1,400 pounds of coal, and 120 pounds of limestone are conserved. Recycling steel saves nearly 74% of the energy used to produce it from raw materials — that’s enough energy to power about 18 million homes for a full year.
Collection
Collected at curbside recycling bins, local recycling drop-offs, or scrap buy-back centers.
Sorting
As material travels along the materials recovery facility (MRF) conveyor belt, a high-powered magnet attracts steel cans to a revolving belt to sort them from other materials. The steel cans are then baled before shipment to a steel mill or foundry.
Processing
The scrap steel is melted in a steel making furnace which has a temperature of nearly 3,000 degrees. Steel cans are usually mixed with other scrap metal, like automobile parts.
Converting
The melted metal is then cast into slabs and rolled into flat stock or steel sheets.
Manufacturing
The flat stock is cut into sections, rolled, and welded into tubes. The recycled steel tubing is then assembled into a bike frame.
I became a bike!
Your steel can had quite a wild ride on its way to becoming a bike frame.
Help spread the word and share what you’ve learned below!
Pick another material to find out what it wants to be…
Butter Tub
Cereal Box
Aluminum Can
Steel Food Can
Glass Bottle
