Steel recycling is an important step in the construction and manufacturing industries aimed at reducing waste and minimizing environmental impact. This process involves the collection, processing, and melting of scrap steel to be transformed into new products without sacrificing material quality.
One of the materials that is recycled the most worldwide is steel. Steel recycling is a process that can be carried out efficiently. Steel has the property of being 100% recyclable without losing quality or strength. This process allows scrap steel from various sources, such as demolished buildings, unused vehicles, and consumer products, to be converted into new steel that can be used for various applications, including construction, automotive, and household appliances.
Benefits of Steel Recycling
Steel recycling offers many important benefits for the environment, economy, and industry. Here are some key benefits of the steel recycling process:
1. Conservation of Natural Resources
Recycling steel reduces the need for mining iron ore and coal, which are the primary raw materials for steel production.
2. Reduction of Carbon Emissions
The steel recycling process does not require as much energy as producing steel from raw materials. This directly reduces carbon emissions and air pollution generated during steel production, thus helping to lessen negative impacts on the environment and climate change.
3. Energy Efficiency
Recycling steel saves about 60-74% energy compared to making steel from raw materials. The melting of scrap steel uses less energy because the required temperature is lower than that needed for new steel production.
4. Waste Reduction in Landfills
The volume of waste sent to landfills decreases with recycling. This process helps alleviate pressure on waste disposal facilities and extends the lifespan of landfills.
5. Reduction of Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Steel recycling helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This process lowers the burning of fossil fuels used in the production of new steel, ultimately contributing to a decrease in the greenhouse effect and global warming.
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7 Stages of Steel Recycling
The steel recycling process has specific functions to convert scrap steel into new raw materials ready for use. Here’s an explanation of each stage:
1. Collecting
The first stage of steel recycling is collecting scrap steel from various sources, such as construction debris, old vehicles, heavy machinery, or household items. This collection process is important to ensure a sufficient supply of material for recycling.
2. Separating
After collecting scrap steel, the material must be separated from other materials that may have mixed in, such as plastic, rubber, or other metals. This separation can be done manually or using magnets to isolate steel from non-magnetic metals. This stage is crucial to ensure the purity of the steel to be recycled.
3. Compacting
The separated steel usually has a large volume and irregular shape. The compacting process in steel recycling aims to facilitate transportation and further processing; the scrap steel is compacted using a pressing machine to reduce its volume. Compacting also makes handling and storage easier.
4. Shredding
The compacted steel is then shredded into small pieces using a shredder. This shredding process aims to speed up melting in the next stage, as smaller pieces are easier to melt than large steel objects.
5. Heating
The shredded steel pieces are then placed in a melting furnace to be heated to high temperatures. In this steel recycling stage, the steel melts, making further separation and processing easier. This heating process uses far less energy compared to the process of making steel from iron ore.
6. Refining
Once the steel has melted, the material must be refined to remove impurities or unwanted materials. Refining is done by adding chemicals or using separation processes based on melting points to eliminate contaminants. This stage ensures that the resulting steel is of high quality.
7. Solidifying
The final stage of steel recycling is solidifying or reshaping the steel after reaching the desired purity. The molten steel is poured into molds to be reshaped into beams, bars, or other forms according to industry needs. The steel is then cooled and hardened to produce raw materials ready for use in manufacturing or construction processes.
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Modern Steel Solutions with LGS from Tradecorp
The use of steel is increasingly popular for various construction needs, such as accommodation buildings, warehouses, offices, and more. Light Gauge Steel (LGS) construction is strong, lightweight, and durable. There are numerous benefits of using LGS in building, including:
- Durability: Lightweight steel is resistant to corrosion and termites and can withstand extreme environments.
- Speed and Efficiency of Construction: LGS structures are faster to install compared to conventional materials due to their lightweight and easy transportability.
Tradecorp Indonesia is a provider of superior construction solutions using LGS material for various types of buildings, such as warehouses, houses, canteens, field offices, mess halls, and other accommodations. Other advantages of LGS material used by Tradecorp include its ability to withstand extreme weather conditions, making it suitable for applications steel roof trusses in various locations, including mining areas and large-scale construction projects.
Flexibility in building design and modifications facilitates adjustments to specific client needs. Consult your LGS steel frame building requirements with Tradecorp and get attractive offers and services across various regions in Indonesia.