Heavy metal — one metal in particular — was the focus Thursday afternoon for Franklin Regional Middle School students, who learned all about recyclable steel with the help of a former Pittsburgh Steeler and an assist from team mascot Steely McBeam.

Former Steeler Will Allen was joined by officials from U.S. Steel on Thursday afternoon at FR’s Panther Stadium to talk with students about the ways the company is pursuing sustainability goals, including becoming carbon-neutral by 2050.

Carly Cox, U.S. Steel’s commodity manager for scrap metal, is an FR graduate.

“Scrap, much like steel, is infinitely recyclable,” Cox told students. “We melt down scrap and pull out the steel that creates the cars and appliances you have in your driveways and homes.”

U.S. Steel officials brought large cubes of scrap metal, and workers from the Victory auto dealership on Route 22 brought a group of green Jeeps — in both the literal and figurative sense, as they were all made from 100% recycled steel.

Cox said U.S. Steel sources 3 million tons of scrap metal each year, “which allows us to produce finished-product steel that is comprised of 80% recycled material.”

“So while it might have looked like junk when you walked past it, the conscious decisions we’re making every day are propelling us into a more innovative way of making steel that protects the environment and gives us all more hope for the future,” she said. “That’s sustainability in a nutshell.”

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