Sunday, 8 December 2013

Steel


- Steel is durable and hard-wearing. 

- Though steel has high carbon emissions during production, it can be kept in the 'recycling - loop' so that it won't go to landfill sites. It can be recycled continuously without loosing quality.

- Steel paint tins only need to be cleaned before they can be recycled.

- Using recycled steel saves 75% of CO2 emissions and 75% of the energy needed to make steel from virgin materials.

- Steel is much stronger than aluminium. It has the highest strength to weight ratio of any building material.

- All steel cans contain a minimum 25% recycled content. The remaining 75% recycled steel is used around the world for construction of bridges, automobiles, as well as wind turbines.

- 1.8 billion drinks cans are made of steel

- Steel can, however, easily rust if the paint container has not been sealed properly after use.

- Unlike aluminium, steel is prone to corrosion.




Personal thoughts:

From my research, I have discovered that aluminium is more eco-friendly than steel. Every tonne of aluminium recycled saves 9 tonnes of CO2 emissions, 95% of the energy needed to make aluminium from virgin material and 95% of greenhouse gas emissions. Recycled steel, though still very much so profitable to the environment, saves at the most 75% the energy needed to make aluminium from virgin material and 75% of greenhouse gas emissions

Aluminium, as a light, thin product, would also be more suitable for a paint container, as it will be easier to carry and transportation would be easier. 


References: 
 

No comments:

Post a Comment