Economic Leaders and Job Creators
The U.S.-based scrap recycling industry is a sophisticated, capital-intensive industry that has been creating “green jobs” in the United States for decades. As the first link in the manufacturing supply chain, scrap recycling has been integral to the U.S. economy, job creation, resource sustainability, energy savings and global trade for more than 200 years. After having contracted sharply in 2009 as a result of the global recession, the scrap recycling industry rebounded by more than 40 percent in 2010 to more than $77 billion in sales. Despite the lingering effects of the global recession on certain sectors of the U.S. economy, the scrap recycling industry has been at the forefront of job creation, adding 10,000 jobs to the economy since the beginning of 2010. The industry is a positive solution in the U.S. manufacturing landscape and directly employs more than 130,000 men and women based on environmentally sensitive and sustainable business practices.
Please see below or click here for a new study that shows more than 450,000 workers are put to work in the United States – directly and indirectly – through the U.S. scrap recycling industry.
Major Exporter –
Helping the Balance of Trade
The U.S. scrap recycling industry provides the high value, environmentally friendly and energy-saving raw materials that make America’s manufacturing industries more competitive in the global marketplace. The scrap industry also supplies the world’s rapidly growing demand for all manner of commodities ranging from iron and steel, to paper, nonferrous metals, plastics, electronics, rubber and more. In 2010, commodity grade scrap products were exported to more than 155 countries worldwide, generating nearly $30 billion in export sales and significantly helping the U.S. balance of trade.
July 2011 Study Shows Scrap Recycling Industry Supports More than 450,000 American Jobs While Generating $10.3 Billion in Revenue for Federal, State and Local Governments
ISRI has released a new study highlighting the significant economic and environmental impact of the U.S. scrap recycling industry. The study, commissioned by ISRI and undertaken by John Dunham and Associates, looks at different kinds of economic activity – jobs and exports – and both direct and indirect economic impacts at the national, state and congressional district levels.
The economic analysis shows that the U.S. scrap recycling industry is a major economic engine powerful enough to create 459,131 jobs and generate $10.3 billion in tax revenues for governments across the country, all while making the old new again and helping to protect the earth’s air, water and land for future generations.
“This study illustrates very clearly that the U.S. scrap recycling industry is playing an important role in America’s economic recovery,” ISRI President Robin Wiener said. “Despite tough times, our industry is directly and indirectly putting more than 450,000 people to work while generating revenue for federal, state and local governments. All this adds up to recognition that the scrap recycling industry must be allowed to grow so it can continue to boost our economy, put people to work protect our environment and help save energy. When people think of recycling, they think of the bin at the curb when in fact our industry is a multi-billion-dollar ‘Made in America’ manufacturing success story.”
The U.S. scrap recycling industry is particularly important because its operations are so widespread. In fact, the total economic activity generated by scrap recycling in the United States is more than $90.6 billion, making the industry similar in size to the nation’s forestry and fishing industries combined.