Japan starts recycling metal scraps from earthquake

TOKYO (Scrap Monster): Japan has started resurrecting the countries recycling facilities, which were heavily damaged by the earthquake and Tsunami in March in order to recycle the huge amount of metal scraps generated from the same disaster.

Japan Iron & Steel Recycling Institute (JISRI) president Tsunefumi Nakatsuji said in the 4th China International Metal Recycling Conference that the country has now initiated measures for the revival of its ferrous scrap and steel making industries.

JISRI has also called up their member companies to get ready for effective recycling of these metal scraps from the disaster. The total volume of metal scraps resulted from the disaster is estimated to be 1 to 2 million metric tons.

Japan’s scrap exports were also hit following the earth quake and nuclear crisis the country had to face which raised concerns over the global markets about radiation levels with Japan steel and scrap products, especially from the Fukushima region.

Following this JISRI has suggested for an international standard for the radiation safety for recycling scraps, formed by discussing among all the global nations in order to avoid such confusions at the time of a similar crisis which Japan had to face.

In 2010, Japan produced nearly 110 million metric tons of steel, in which about 22 percent of that total (23.8 million metric tons) was made with the electric arc furnace (EAF) process.

Japan’s scrap usage ratio for steelmaking has been increased to 14 percent by 2011. Japan has available scrap for basic oxygen furnace buyers and still generates enough to export some 5 million tons annually to China, South Korea and other nations.