Waste and Recycling

U. S. Steel is committed to reducing waste. Recycling is the main way we reduce our reliance on landfills, improving sustainability.

We recycle substantial quantities of scrap metal and steelmaking coproducts and byproducts. In 2023, our North America operations recycled approximately 2.4 million metric tons of blast furnace slag, 96,911 metric tons of Basic Oxygen Process steel slag, and 151,962 metric tons of electric arc furnace slag, selling the slag for use as aggregate and in highway and other construction.

Because of steel’s physical properties, steel products can be recycled at the end of their useful life without loss of quality. In fact, steel is infinitely recyclable, making steel products more affordable, and contributing to a circular economy. U. S. Steel’s history of recycling is long. In 2023, we recycled more than 5.2 million metric tons of purchased and produced steel scrap.

Environmental Excellence Campaign

Our priority, at U. S. Steel, is to operate our facilities in an environmentally responsible manner and to take steps to protect and preserve our shared natural resources; comply with environmental laws and regulations as well as our environmental policies, practices, procedures and initiatives; strive to increase our energy efficiency, reduce emissions and conserve energy and other resources; prioritize the reuse and recycling of materials into our products to minimize our environmental footprint and improve sustainability; and commit to being an environmental steward in the communities in which we operate.

In 2023, U. S. Steel produced various environmental themed videos to educate employees on recycling and waste reduction during the holidays, discarding home electronics, stormwater runoff management, wetland protection, improving indoor air quality, landscaping and biodiversity, and overall simple sustainability tips.

Supporting greenery with the use of recovered wastewater solids

USSK has over time recovered more than 310,989 metric tons of solids from its wastewater treatment plant. Those solids are now being reused to reduce dust and support greening on an area of approximately 82,500 m2. The amount of solids reused this way has been increasing annually by an average of 22%.