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 | |  | |  More than 600 steel cans are recycled every second in the U.S. Enough steel was recoverded from cans in 1997 (1.7 million tons) to build Eiffel Towers! Appliance Recycling in 1997 yielded more than 2.3 million tons of steel - enough to build 88 new professional baseball stadiums. The 13 million cars recycled in 1997 would circle the earth more than one and three-quarter times. Steel recycling is good business! The Auto scrap recycling business has over $3.7 billion in sales annually, and employs 40,000 people at more than 7,000 businesses in the U.S. Recycled steel is used to make new steel products including packaging, cars, lawnmowers, appliances, and construction materials. All new steel products contain at least some recycled steel. In 1997, Americans recycled 61% of their steel cans, 81% of their steel appliances, and over 97% of their automotive scrap metal. Making new steel products from recycled steel instead of virgin ore reduces water use by 40%, water pollution by 76%, air pollution by 86%, and mining wastes by 97%. Steel recycling saves energy: It takes four times more energy to make steel from virgin ore than from recycled steel. Enough energy is saved each year by recycling steel to supply the city of Los Angeles with almost a decade worth of electricity. For every ton of steel recycled, 2500 pounds of iron ore, 1000 pounds of coal and 40 pounds of limestone are preserved. The average American throws out about 61 lbs. of steel or bi-metal cans every month.
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