Respecting the Environment

At Southern Recycling, we believe protection of the environment – from meeting or exceeding regulatory requirements to pollution prevention -- are touchstones for a company whose core activities benefit the environment. 

Did you realize using recycled metal saves up to 74% energy and 40% water consumption AND reduces air pollution by about 86% and water pollution by 76% over mining and processing of raw ores?

We are proud of how our activities reduce the impacts of mining and the energy-intensive refining of metal ores. The core of our business is conserving natural resources and reducing the amount of waste sent to landfill.

We consider this environmental responsibility to be a fundamental organizing principle of how we run our company. From our dedicated Environmental and Safety and Health Team to our group-wide environmental management system, we insist our facilities meet domestic and international standards.

Southern Recycling has a robust, in-house safety and environmental training program, that is supplemented, where necessary, with outside training and certification. The environmental department serves the specialist support, general training, and consultancy needs of Southern Recycling and is an on-going resource for our customers. The department oversights the company’s performance, reviews and develops procedures, develops training, keeps open communication with regulatory agencies and the local community, as well as works closely with customers to ensure any specific environmental requirements are met.

To maintain our position at the forefront of the industry, we continually enhance our portfolio of environmentally progressive services. For example, our incoming material inspection program ensures the removal of ozone-depleting gases, switches containing mercury, fuels and oils as well as hazardous or radioactive materials before they enter the recycling process. At our vessel recovery field, we safely strip ships and platforms and properly dispose of hazardous materials. 

As a recycling company, we recognize the environmental and cost benefits of waste reduction and we’re striving to recycle growing volumes of materials over the next decades. When we upgrade or expand, we consider the potential environmental impacts and appropriately manage them. Efforts are also underway to improve our performance on energy and water efficiency.

Our commitment to environmental excellence extends outside the company. Southern Recycling is an active participant in domestic and international fora to level the playing field and insure that US standards and our company retain their benchmark status.