Iron and steel scrap, also referred to as ferrous scrap, comes from end of life products (old or obsolete scrap) as well as scrap generated from the manufacturing process (new, prime or prompt scrap). Obsolete ferrous scrap is recovered from automobiles, steel structures, household appliances, railroad tracks, ships, farm equipment and other sources. The largest single source of obsolete ferrous scrap in the United States is used vehicles, and R.L. Polk & Co. estimates that nearly 11.8 million vehicles were scrapped in the U.S. in 2012.
Today, ferrous scrap is the most recycled material worldwide.

While a small proportion of unprepared obsolete ferrous scrap can be directly used by consumers, the vast majority of purchased iron and steel scrap is sorted and processed by the scrap recycling industry (that’s us). Scrapyards use a variety of processes including sorting, shearing, shredding, torching and baling to sort and prepare ferrous scrap to commodity-grade specifications.
The process of shredding, which was developed in the late 1950s, allows for whole cars, appliances and other end-of-life products to be quickly shredded into fist-size pieces of metal, greatly increasing scrap processors´ ability to handle large items and to separate nonferrous material.