We are planning to launch a pilot program in January 2025 to recycle metal from our household customers.
Each year, households in the Fort Wayne metro area generate a surprising amount of steel and aluminum waste. On average, each household produces 297 pounds of steel and 58.5 pounds of aluminum. These numbers might not seem significant until you scale them across the entire metro area, which has around 165,703 households.
TOP 10 HOUSEHOLD ITEMS THAT HAVE METAL IN THEM THAT YOU COULD RECYCLE
Cans—Aluminum soda cans or steel food cans can be recycled into new metal products.
Appliances—Old toasters, microwaves, blenders, or refrigerators often contain steel, copper, and aluminum.
Cookware—Worn-out pots, pans, and baking trays are typically made of stainless steel or aluminum.
Electronics—Outdated laptops, phones, and TVs contain small amounts of valuable metals like gold, copper, and aluminum.
Batteries—Used batteries (especially car or rechargeable ones) contain metals like lead, nickel, or lithium.
Furniture—Metal bed frames, chairs, or desks often include steel or aluminum that can be salvaged.
Lighting Fixtures—Broken lamps or light fixtures contain metal components, usually steel or brass.
Tools—Rusty or broken tools like hammers, screwdrivers, or pliers are often made of durable steel.
Plumbing Materials—Old faucets, pipes, or fittings often contain brass, copper, or stainless steel.
Metal Hangers—Wire hangers, commonly found in closets, are typically made of steel and are recyclable.
When you crunch the numbers, the totals are eye-opening:
Steel: Approximately 49.2 million pounds (or 24,607 tons).
Aluminum: Roughly 9.7 million pounds (or 4,847 tons).
These materials don’t appear out of thin air. Producing them has a significant environmental cost, which is worth understanding as we think about sustainability and waste reduction in our community.
The Environmental Cost of ProductionHousehold Metal Recycling
Creating steel and aluminum is energy-intensive, leading to high carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions:
Steel: For every ton of steel produced, about 1.85 metric tons of CO₂ are emitted. For Fort Wayne households, that’s an estimated 45,523 metric tons of CO₂ annually from steel production alone just for what we waste.
Aluminum: Aluminum has an even larger carbon footprint, with about 12 metric tons of CO₂ emitted per ton. That totals 58,164 metric tons of CO₂ for the aluminum produced to match household waste estimates.
Combined, Fort Wayne’s steel and aluminum waste represents nearly 104,000 metric tons of CO₂ emissions—a number comparable to the annual emissions from over 22,000 cars on the road.
Water Usage
The production of these metals also requires vast amounts of water:
Steel: It takes about 62,000 gallons of water to produce one ton of steel. For Fort Wayne’s steel waste, that adds up to a staggering 1.5 billion gallons of water—enough to fill over 2,300 Olympic-sized swimming pools.
Aluminum: Aluminum production requires about 14.62 gallons of water per pound. That translates to 141.7 million gallons of water for the aluminum waste generated by households.
In total, Fort Wayne’s steel and aluminum production accounts for over 1.66 billion gallons of water.
Why It Matters
The environmental impact of creating these materials highlights why it’s so important to recycle and reduce waste. Recycling steel and aluminum significantly lowers emissions and water usage compared to producing them from raw materials. For example, recycling aluminum uses 95% less energy than producing new aluminum, and recycled steel uses about 60% less energy.
Small Actions, Big Impact
By taking small steps, we can collectively reduce the environmental footprint of our household waste and create a healthier Fort Wayne.
The numbers may seem daunting, but they also show the power of individual and community actions. Together, we can make a meaningful difference.
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