100 lbs. of recycled steel replace almost 150 lbs. of steel ore. When steel cans were introduced in 1935, they weighed 172 lbs. In 1989, enough scrap copper was recycled in the U.S. to supply the wiring and plumbing for every building constructed already that year. California Dept. of Conservation More than two-thirds of the amount of steel produced each year is recycled, making steel the most actively recycled material. Beyond the large volume of steel recycled each year, all steel products are guaranteed to have recycled content because new steel is made from old steel.
Steel is also a green framing material in sustainable home development, as is steel roofing.