United States – US-based Schnitzer Steel Industries has formed a partnership with fishermen so as to recover steel from their end-of-life equipment, predominantly fishing nets which contain the metal to give them extra strength and weight. Much of the non-steel content, such as the mesh, will go towards electricity production under an agreement with waste-to-energy company Covanta Energy.
According to Schnitzer, the project signifies its engagement with the US Fishing for Energy initiative, which is active in the states of Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Oregon and Rhode Island. The move was ‘inspired by the successful participation in a Hawaii-based programme for transforming ocean debris into energy’.
Rene Mansho, Schnitzer Steel Hawaii’s Community Relations Director, observes: ‘With Covanta’s help, the old gear has been recycled and turned into clean energy – enough to power 300 homes on Oahu.’
The programme has also reaped benefits for the fishermen themselves, adds James Banigan, Schnitzer Steel Hawaii’s General Manager. ‘It has made it easy for them to recycle their unusable, heavy equipment. What’s more, some have also found a new source of income in retrieving abandoned gear from the ocean floor.’
The Fishing for Energy partnership is supported by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Marine Debris Program and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.
For more information, visit: www.schnitzersteel.com and www.covantaenergy.com
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