Did You Know?
. . . that nickel-containing products are extensively collected and reused or recycled? It's a Natural Nickel Fact
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Nickel Magazine, June, 2003 -- Theoretically, all metals can be reused over and over without
deminishing their intrinsic properties. However, only metals with a high economic value tend to be collected
for reuse or recycle. That's why nickel is among the most highly recycled metals in the world today.
Most recycled nickel ends up in stainless steel.
| Expert Dialogue: Bruce McKean Director, Environmental Affairs Nickel Development Insitute Toronto, Ontario Canada Listen to Part I of the interview (4:43) RealAudio (768 kB) "Nickel is recycled because it can be recycled . . . it is always recoverable as nickel. The other [reason] is it is worth a lot of money . . . About a third of all the nickel that is used . . . is recycled nickel . . . there is a lag of 20, 30, 40 or more years waiting for the material to reach the end of its useful life. At the same time the use of nickel-containing materials continues to increase every year . . . Nickel is very rarely recycled as nickel . . . it goes into stainless steel." Listen to Part II of the interview (5:23) RealAudio (768 kB) "The stainless steel industry doesn't care where that iron, chromium, and nickel comes from. Whether it comes directly from a mine and a refinery or whether it comes from end-of-life pot or pan or kitchen sink. It doesn't matter. They just see it as units of nickel . . . That's the great benefit of workng with elements from the Periodic Table. They are what they are and they can't be downgraded." Download a Real Player here. Look for the link entitled "Free RealOne Player." |
