We play a vital role in protecting our natural environment, so making sure we handle materials responsibly – from receiving to resale and repurposing – and finding the best final destination or application for them are hallmarks of our process. We value the health and safety of our team and customers, and that means taking care of the natural world we all share.
Brooklyn Resource Recovery is Committed to Sustainability
Did you know that 229 washing machines can fit into a standard railcar? After shredding, 1,152 washing machines can fit into that same railcar. Reducing waste and preparing metals to be recycled and reused is not just our business, it’s part of our commitment to the environment.
When metal products reach the end of their lives or become outdated – things just like washers and dryers, or automobiles and construction materials – they get discarded and replaced, often without a second thought about where they go next or ultimately end up. Without responsible recycling that is not a sustainable model. Our processes are designed to promote sustainability by reducing, recycling and promoting reuse of metal scrap. At Brooklyn Resource Recovery, we understand the vital role we play in carefully handling these materials and ensuring that they are received and processed the right way, and matched to the most beneficial final destination or application.
Our Recycling Process
More than 80 million tons of steel are recycled each year in North America and Brooklyn Resource Recovery plays an important role in this recycling chain.
1. Purchasing
We purchase discarded and end of life recyclable material from a variety of sources and only from suppliers who are registered to do business with us. We value the strong relationships we have developed with our suppliers and treat them as our business partners.
2. Collecting
Certain types of materials are not handled by city sanitation workers and require special handling and disposal, so we provide a community service by collecting these items even though they have no re-sale value. We then pay EPA-permitted contractors to pick-up and process these materials to ensure they are handled and/or disposed of responsibly.
3. Screening
We have strict guidelines governing items we recycle, so we employ three inspectors who examine all material before it is accepted for processing.
4. Processing
We process and separate recyclable materials. Our unique processing systems allow for most of the material to be transformed into consumable ferrous and non-ferrous products for steel mills, foundries and other end users.
5. Creating
Steel mills and foundries use their own processing techniques to transform our recycled material into new steel and metal products for various industries. Using recycled metal in the production of new steel requires 70 percent less energy and reduces greenhouse gases by more than 50 percent versus producing new steel using raw materials. The energy saved is enough to power 18 million households for a year.
6. Building/Constructing
Steel mills and foundries sell their material to an array of industries and manufacturers who create a wide variety of infrastructure and consumer products that people use every day. Using scrap metal instead of mining for natural resources protects our environment and drives costs lower for all consumers.
7. Conserving / Protecting
We play a critical role in the life cycle of creating new products from end of life products. The alternative is filling landfills with recyclable materials or allowing recyclable scrap metal to congest city streets and alleys.
Brooklyn Resource Recovery takes pride in our pivotal role in the recycling process. Metal recycling supports the earth’s sustainability by conserving energy and natural resources while also protecting the environment for future generations.
