America Recycles Day Celebrates the Recycling Industry’s Innumerable Economic and Environmental Benefits

WASHINGTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–#AmericaRecyclesDay–The Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI), the Voice
of the Recycling Industry™, celebrates America Recycles Day today by
applauding all individuals who make a strong effort to recycle as part
of their daily life, and encouraging all to learn more about recycling
and the industry. America Recycles Day, a national initiative of Keep
America Beautiful, takes place every November 15 in an effort to promote
and celebrate recycling in the U.S.

“Each year America Recycles Day offers us a reminder of the critical
role recycling plays in the earth’s sustainability, including its impact
on the environment, energy savings, and the economy,” said ISRI
President Robin Wiener. “We encourage every person to use this day as a
reminder of the importance of recycling and the need to make a concerted
effort to properly recycle in their daily lives. Each individual can
make a significant difference by knowing what can and cannot be recycled
in their community, and encouraging local officials to make policies
that promote better recycling a top priority.”

Recycling is the first link in the manufacturing supply chain. Just last
year, the U.S. recycling industry transformed more than 130 million
metric tons of scrap metal, paper, plastic, glass, textiles, rubber, and
electronics into specification grade commodities for use in new products.

While 70 percent of the recycled commodities processed last year in the
United States was consumed at home, the global scrap market also
provides a useful outlet for our nation’s excess scrap supply. U.S.
export sales of recycled scrap significantly benefit the U.S. trade
balance. In 2016, the United States exported more than 37 million metric
tons of scrap commodities, valued at $16.5 billion. In fact, since 2000,
net exports of United States scrap have made a positive contribution to
our balance of trade amounting to more than $210 billion.

Recycling facilities provide jobs all across the country. In fact, last
year the U.S. scrap recycling industry directly and indirectly supplied
more than 534,000 Americans with employment while generating nearly $117
billion in economic activity. The industry paid $13.2 billion in direct
federal, state, and local taxes.

Recycling conserves our limited natural resources and reduces greenhouse
gas emissions by significantly saving the amount of energy needed to
manufacture the products that we buy, build, and use every day. The
energy saved by recycling may then be used for other purposes, such as
heating our homes and powering our automobiles.

The Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries, Inc. (ISRI) is
the "Voice of the Recycling Industry™." ISRI represents more than 1,100
companies in 21 chapters in the U.S. and 35 countries that process,
broker, and consume scrap commodities, including metals, paper,
plastics, glass, rubber, electronics, and textiles. With headquarters in
Washington, DC, the Institute provides education, advocacy, safety and
compliance training, and promotes public awareness of the vital role
recycling plays in the U.S. economy, global trade, the environment and
sustainable development. Generating nearly $117 billion annually in U.S.
economic activity, the scrap recycling industry provides nearly half a
million Americans with good jobs.

Contacts

The Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries, Inc.
Mark
Carpenter, 202-662-8525
[email protected]