21 Mar The Ins and Outs of Stainless Steel Recycling in Chicago

Like most metals, stainless steel can be recycled. There are a number of benefits involved with recycling stainless steel, from reduced costs on stainless steel products, to environmental benefits, and more.

Do you have stainless steel items that you might like to recycle? Wondering what exactly stainless steel recycling entails? Read on! Here are the ins and outs of stainless steel recycling in Chicago.

What Does Stainless Steel Consist Of?

Stainless steel comes in a variety of different forms.  Essentially, all of these forms share certain characteristics, and are made up of specific types of metals. Regardless of the stainless steel items you have in your possession, they will contain traces of chromium, iron, and nickel. There are no exceptions to this rule.

However, this isn’t necessarily what all stainless steel consists of. Depending on the brand of stainless steel you’re dealing with, it could contain elements such as titanium, tungsten, and more.

Today, new stainless steel products are typically made out of recycled metals. This is due to the fact that recycling existing metal is much more affordable than mining fresh metal—plus, it’s much better for the environment.

Common Stainless Steel Items

These days, stainless steel can be used to make just about anything. Some small, everyday items that are made out of stainless steel include watches, jewelry, silverware, and furniture. Some of the bigger items that are made out of stainless steel include car components, pipes, medical components, construction pieces, and food equipment.

In essence, stainless steel can be found pretty much everywhere. There’s a very good chance that you have stainless steel items in your possession.

The Stainless Steel Recycling Process

If you have stainless steel items in your possession, you should know that they can be recycled. Generally, the stainless steel recycling process is as follows:

Sorting

After stainless steel items are turned into a metal recycling facility, they will be sorted and placed with other stainless steel items. This is done in order to prevent them from being recycled along with pure iron, pure copper, or other pure metal items.

Shredding

Once stainless steel items are placed with other like items, they are forced through a shredder. This shredder cuts these items down into small pieces, making them much easier to manipulate.

Melting

After the items have been shredded, they are subjected to extremely hot temperatures. These hot temperatures cause the stainless steel to melt, turning it into a liquid that can eventually be poured in molds.

Quality Control

After the stainless steel has been melted down, it is checked closely for flaws, impairments, and contamination. If any of these entities exist, they will need to be corrected. Flawed stainless steel cannot be used to make new items.

Reusing

Once the melted stainless steel is found to be pure, it can be shaped to create new products. This recycled stainless steel will be used to make all of the items reviewed above, and much more. While it will have lost a bit in terms of overall quality, the amount of quality it has lost will generally be very small.

Looking to Recycle Stainless Steel in Chicago?

Do you have stainless steel in your possession? Are you looking to recycle stainless steel in Chicago? If so, the metal recycling specialists at Central Metal Recycling are the people to see.

We accept and recycle all types of stainless steel items, both big and small. Not only can we help you to transport these items to our facilities, we can pay you for the privilege.

Contact us today to discuss your needs!