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As we have discussed throughout this series, the scrap metal recycling industry has a positive impact both economically and environmentally in the United States. A recent study by the Institute of Scrap Metal Recycling Industries, IRSI, breaks down the positive impact on a state level across the country.
By clicking on this link, you can view the full survey. I will highlight some of the key points in this column.
In 2011, the economic impact of the scrap recycling industry has been widespread across the United States.
- “The scrap recycling industry supports more than 450,000 American jobs and generates $10.3 billion in revenue for federal, state, and local governments. 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.”
- Some of the biggest states have seen a tremendous impact from the jobs and revenue that the scrap metal Recycling Industry has created. The following statistics are from 2011.
- “ In New York, the people and firms that purchase, process and broker old materials to be manufactured into new products provide 23,900 people with jobs. These are good jobs paying an average wage of $75,052. All of this activity generates nearly $5.4 billion in economic benefits in New York. ”
- “In California, people and firms that purchase, process and broker old materials to be manufactured into new products provide 62,400 people with good jobs in California. Activity generated by the scrap recycling industry created nearly $13.8 billion in economic benefits in California.
- “In Texas, the people and firms that purchase, process, and broker old materials to be manufactured into new products provide 41,820 people with good jobs in Texas. All of this activity generates nearly $9.5 billion in economic benefits in Texas.”
- “In Florida, the people and firms that purchase, process and broker old materials to be manufactured into new products provide 26,540 people with good jobs in Florida. All of this activity generates nearly $4.5 billion in economic benefits in Florida.”
This study puts facts and figures behind the topics that have been discussed in this series of columns. It cannot be stressed enough how much of a positive impact the scrap recycling industry has on the environment and the economy.
