MAGNETIC SEPARATION OF STEEL CANS: A KEY TO SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT1

Abstract

A growing number of communities are finding that municipal magnetic separation of steel cans is an ecological, economic, and technological solution to part of their solid waste problem. Steel's unique magnetic property permits the large-scale efficient reclamation of steel cans from collected municipal garbage. Magnetic separation enables municipalities to extend the life of scarce landfill sites, produces revenues from the sale of scrap cans, lowers the cost of waste disposal, and helps conserve a valuable resource through recycling. It also leads to salvaging vastly greater numbers of used cans than do the volunteer collection programs. Successful recycling programs require that economically viable markets be maintained for reclaimed materials. America's steel industry is actively developing uses for reclaimed steel cans. Steel producers have agreed to accept all reclaimed steel cans for remelting into new steel products. Also, the copper mining industry uses salvaged cans to produce copper from low grade ore. Detinners and ferroalloy plants offer additional markets for salvaged steel cans.