Steel in electronics: where it sits and why it is recovered
Steel is the frame, the case and the fastener of most electronics, and the laminated core of nearly every motor and transformer. It is commonly the heaviest material in a product and the simplest to separate, because a magnet picks most of it up.
26FeSteelRecycled steel replaces iron ore, coal and limestone
Steel scrap is a basic raw material for new steel and cast iron, not a by-product. The U.S. Geological Survey reports that recycling one ton of steel conserves 1.1 tons of iron ore, 0.6 ton of coking coal and 0.05 ton of limestone, and that remelting scrap takes much less energy than producing steel from ore. The agency notes that the U.S. steel and foundry industries are structured around scrap and depend heavily on it. Its February 2026 summary puts the recycling rate for steel in appliances at an estimated 78 percent, a figure that changes from year to year.1
Where it sits
| Device | Where the steel sits | How much |
|---|---|---|
| Cordless drill | Gears, chuck, stator laminations and cell cans | Most of it |
| Game console | Chassis, shields and disc drive housing | Most of it |
| Flat-screen TV | Back chassis, stand and screws | Most of it |
| Enterprise server | Chassis, lid and drive carriers | Most of it |
| E-bike | Spokes, axle, chain and stator laminations | A real share |
| Robot vacuum | Motor cans, shafts and cell cans | A real share |
| Hard disk drive | Covers, magnet yokes and screws | A real share |
| Smartwatch | Screws, brackets and speaker parts | A real share |
| Wireless earbuds | Hinge spring, driver cups, cell cans | A real share |
| Circuit boards | Shields, brackets and component leads | A real share |
| Headphones | Headband spring, driver cups, pole plates | A real share |
| Laptop | Hinges, shields and screws | A real share |
| Smartphone | Shields, screws and brackets | A real share |
How it is recovered
Steel is lifted out of shredded material by magnets and melted into new steel. How steel and aluminum are recovered from electronics.
Sources
- Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: Iron and Steel ScrapU.S. Geological Survey (February 2026), Recycling section, p. 1
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