Fragmentised, magnetically-separated steel from shredded vehicles and appliances (2–8″). High density and consistency — the preferred EAF charge.

ISRI Grade Name: Shredded Scrap, No. 1 (also known as Shredded 211, Fragmentised Scrap, or simply “Shred”)

ISRI Description and Specification

Shredded scrap is produced by passing end-of-life vehicles (hulks), appliances, and other large steel items through a hammermill shredder — a high-energy mechanical fragmentiser that reduces large steel objects to small, irregular pieces of approximately 2–8 inches in longest dimension. The fragmented material is then magnetically separated from non-ferrous material, rubber, plastic, foam, glass, and dirt using a combination of overhead magnets, eddy-current separators, and air classification systems. The resulting magnetic fraction is the shredded ferrous scrap — a dense, compact, relatively uniform material well-suited to EAF charging. Shredded scrap is characterised by higher bulk density than loose HMS (typically 50–70 lb/cu ft vs. 35–50 lb/cu ft for loose HMS), lower residual non-ferrous content than HMS 2 (since non-ferrous separation is applied post-shredding), and high consistency from lot to lot — making it one of the most predictable ferrous scrap grades for steelmakers. Residual copper content (from wiring in shredded vehicles) and zinc content (from galvanised panels) are the primary tramp element concerns in shredded scrap and are managed through careful shredder feed selection and separation process optimisation.

Why Shredded Scrap Is Preferred by EAF Steelmakers

Shredded scrap’s consistent small size, high bulk density, and relatively clean magnetic separation profile make it the preferred charge material for EAF operators seeking maximum furnace productivity and consistent heat chemistry. The uniform particle size allows optimised charge bucket loading, reducing the number of bucket charges per heat and maximising the furnace’s available arc-on time. High bulk density means more metal per charge bucket, directly reducing heat-to-heat time and improving tonne-per-hour productivity. Compared to HMS, shredded scrap typically enables faster melt-down rates due to the higher surface-area-to-volume ratio of small fragments, which increases heat transfer efficiency from the electric arc into the solid charge.

Who Uses Shredded Scrap

EAF-based steel producers globally are the primary consumers of shredded scrap — it is the preferred grade of large, modern EAF facilities with high annual production targets (500,000 tonnes per year and above) that require consistent, high-density, reliable scrap inputs. In India, large EAF-based flat products producers and billet producers — including Essar Steel (now ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India), JSW Steel, Tata Steel, and Jindal Steel & Power — consume shredded scrap as a component of their scrap mix. As India’s Vehicle Scrappage Policy creates an organised end-of-life vehicle processing industry and a network of Registered Vehicle Scrapping Facilities (RVSFs), domestic shredded scrap supply is projected to grow significantly over the next 5–10 years, potentially reducing import dependence for this grade.