Bluestar Metal Recycling Co

Recycling may seem like a rather new concept to many, however you may find it interesting to learn that the Bluestar Metal Recycling Company has been providing recycling services for over 130 years in fact.  Bluestar Metal Recycling Company, located in Elyria, Ohio was founded by Simon Altfeld back in the year 1883.

Simon would travel around town on his horse-drawn wagon collecting materials to recycle- primarily steel, paper and rags from the local residents and industries.  Each day after collecting enough material, Simon would take them back to his home where in the back yard he and his two sons. Jack and Alex (shown in the photo above), would break apart the large pieces of cast iron with sledge hammers and separate the other materials.

The separated materials were then loaded back into the wagon and secured for the day long trip to the steel mills, located in Cleveland, Ohio.

Simon would then spend the night in Cleveland and travel back to Elyria the following day, where he would then sell the much sought after commodity of sewing notions, which he purchased while in Cleveland.

The following years brought about three changes in location for Bluestar Metal Recycling, the final move being to the company's current location - 201 Williams Street in Elyria, and in 1919 Bluestar was formalized into a corporation.

From the time Simon Altfeld founded Bluestar Metal Recycling in 1883, numerous members Altfeld family have been involved in working for, and running the business.  Today Bluestar is run by a fourth generation of Altfeld family members - Ted Altfeld, Robin Altfeld Kaufman and Scott Altfeld.

The Altfeld family also owns the Aztec Steel Corporation which is located in Elyria, Ohio as well, only blocks away from Bluestar Recycling on Taylor Street.