Steel recycling and stainless steel scrap
Recycling – very important word is being used very often. The reason for interest on this topic is the effort to ensure sustainable development.
It means the development of humanity that will meet the needs of current generations, without jeopardizing the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. This means, among other things, that we should minimize the use of primary raw materials, which are rare and can not be recovered, eliminate energy consumption and reduce emissions.
CRONIMET is a company specialising in the recycling of stainless steel scrap and in this article we try to explain you the metal life cycle.
Downcycling and upcycling as a form of recycling
In addition to the concept of recycling, we can now meet downcycling and upcycling concepts. Do you know what these terms mean? If not, we will try to explain them briefly.
What is downcycling?
Downcycling as a re-processing of materials or things that are not so full-fledged and where the quality of the material or the item decreases with the increasing number of recycling cycles. We can mention, for example, paper whose quality is reduced after every further recycling.
What is upcycling?
Upcycling, on the other hand, is the process of transforming waste material or unnecessary products into new materials or better quality products. E.g. from unnecessary stainless steel tubes we create a work of art and breathe new life into it.
The recycling process for stainless steel and steel
If we remain in our industry, it is important to emphasize that stainless steel is a 100% recyclable material and surpasses other materials.
Recycling
What do we mean by recycling here? Recycling of stainless waste simply means the process in which an expert company collects stainless waste from the manufacturing companies or households, treats this waste and delivers it to the steel mills where it serves as a secondary raw material for batching in the production of new stainless steels.
Stainless steel scrap currently accounts for 65-70% of the burden of production of new stainless steel.
Stainless steel is one of the most recycled materials
Surveys show that 95% of the stainless steel products that are now in use are being recycled! This makes stainless steel one of the most recyclable materials. Thanks to the properties of stainless steel scrap, 99% of stainless steel is back in life and reused, only 1% is lost in this process.
An example for an idea
And what can we achieve by recycling 1 tonne of stainless steel? When 1 tonne of stainless steel is recycled, 33 tonnes of ore are extracted and we save about 4.5 tonnes of CO2. Perhaps you are wondering why stainless steel is not only made from stainless steel scrap and new ore is being extracted? It is precisely thanks to the properties of stainless steels that global demand for them and their production is growing. Secondly stainless steel waste is not returned to the production of new steel so quickly and because of that the requirements for new extraction of ores needed for their production are increasing.
CRONIMET - a specialist in recycling of stainless steel waste
CRONIMET has been operating on the world market since 1980 and is a family business founded by Günter Pilarsky. The company specializes in trade in ferro-alloys, stainless steel waste and primary metals. Nowadays, there are almost 49 branches and sales offices all over the world, making CRONIMET the world leader in buying and recycling stainless steel waste. It is an important partner for the supply of stainless steel waste to the world. It annually exports nearly 1.5 million tonnes of recyclable material. Part of the group is also CRONIMET Mining AG (founded in 2004), a provider of primary raw materials, engaged in extraction of molybdenum ores from mines in Armenia and South Africa.
MORE ABOUT OUR SERVICES
We are always looking for innovative recycling solutions
In addition to state-of-the-art facilities for analyzing and separating metals, CRONIMET also owns modernly equipped laboratories in which continuous research and innovation take place. Significant innovation projects now include the acquisition of the AFRA (Aircraft Fleet Recycling Association) certificate for the disposal of metallic wastes from the aircraft industry (recycling of aircraft turbines) or the operation of the first certified line for the disposal of galvanic sludge in Bitterfeld-Wolfen.
Recycling of stainless steel scrap in the Czech Republic
CRONIMET Ostrava, s.r.o. is a small branch in the Czech Republic. It is a part of an international group, and guarantees German waste management standards and its years of experience in the purchase, recycling and sale of stainless steel scrap and guarantees a well-functioning service and cooperation.
CRONIMET Ostrava is an active part of the economy in the Czech Republic and the company is very well aware of its environmental and social responsibility, which inseparably permeates all the processes in this company. This is the only way CRONIMET can help ensure sustainable development for future generations.