After the Palisades and Eaton fires scorched entire neighborhoods, the Army Corps of Engineers set up operations to recycle concrete and metal from mostly fire-damaged homes. Tons of these everyday materials are washed where they're collected, loaded onto trucks, and sent to begin the recycling process. For example, metal is compacted and concrete is crushed, then shipped to recycling facilities before re-entering the supply chain for future uses. In the world of planet-warming emissions, making fresh concrete and steel are major contributors to climate change, and industry experts say recycling is a good way to rebuild more sustainably.
By FATIMA HUSSEIN, JOSH BOAK and MARC LEVY Associated Press
President Joe Biden has blocked the nearly $15 billion proposed deal for Nippon Steel of Japan to purchase Pittsburgh-based U.S. Steel. This affirms his earlier vow to block the acquisition. In a Friday statement, Biden said, "We need major U.S. companies representing the major share of US steelmaking capacity to keep leading the fight on behalf of America's national interests." His decision comes after the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States didn't reach consensus on the possible national security risks of the deal last month. Nippon Steel and U.S. Steel blasted the decision, saying Biden cited no credible evidence of a national security problem and suggested they'll sue.