About SRI

The Steel Recycling Institute (SRI) was established in late 1988 as the Steel Can Recycling Institute, a not-for-profit trade association with the mission of promoting and sustaining steel can recycling. With headquarters in Pittsburgh, PA, it was formed by eight North American steel companies and the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI). The Institute's focus was a grassroots effort to implement steel can recycling in communities across North America. To facilitate this activity, regional offices were established. Regional managers worked directly with public recycling offices, private recyclers, haulers, ferrous scrap dealers, end markets and others who were involved in steel recycling. The headquarters office coordinated the development of recycling operations, government affairs, marketing and public relations. In 1992, an office was established in Washington, DC to monitor federal legislation.

RECYCLING STEEL APPLIANCES

Washing Machines, Water Heaters, Air Conditioners, Refrigerators, Dryers...

Appliances are made from steel
Appliances are, in fact, systems of mechanical and electrical components encased in steel shells or bodies. Various operating parts are made of steel or iron. An important part of our lives, appliances provide convenience and fulfill essential roles from the kitchen (refrigerators, freezers, dishwashers, etc.) to the laundry room (washing and drying machines) and other rooms in the home as well (air conditioning units.) In many homes, there may not be a room that doesn’t contain a steel appliance of some type.

Recycled steel content of appliances
By weight, the typical appliance consists of about 60 percent steel. This steel is recyclable, as is all steel, and is recycled daily. (To find a recycling location near you to recycle, visit the Steel Recycling Locator.) The steel used in appliances is made with a minimum of 25 percent recycled steel. In addition, internal steel components may be made using either 25 percent or more than 90 percent recycled steel—depending on the grade of steel and steelmaking process. For this reason, all appliances contain recycled steel and are recyclable when they have reached the end of their current role. After being recycled the steel recovered from these appliances can be made into different steel products and their continuous life cycle runs on, as steel has no memory and can be recycled into any other steel product. This is known as open-loop recycling.

Nationwide recycling efforts
Appliances with steel content are simply too valuable to landfill, and would take up a considerable amount of our nation’s valuable landfill space. As a result, a vast infrastructure has been developed around the recycling of end-of-service steel appliances, as well as other steel materials. Recycling programs are constantly adding appliances to their accepted materials because of the value in maintaining this sustainable cycle. Local communities, counties and even statewide programs have been created to increase steel appliance recycling. Many locations offer rebates for the purchase of new, efficient ENERGY STAR appliances as well. But most often, appliances are recycled through the retailer that delivers updated appliances to consumers.