Did you know that as you go over the Mansfield Bridge your on part of an Old railroad Bridge? How about the old Neville Island Bridge was once Pittsburgh's 6th street Bridge

If you ever drove over the old Neville Island Bridge on the west side of the island which connected you to the community of Coraopolis  Pa. 
Then you actually drove over a relocated section of the 6th Street Bridge in Pittsburgh which a section of it was dismantled and floated down river and placed on piers to make the Neville Island Bridge.

The bridge had to be closed in 90s do to an emergency when it was discovered that it had the same structural flaw that the Silver City Bridge in WV had that collapsed  and was quickly replaced with current span.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silver_Bridge

A second bridge where steel was reused and still in use is the Mansfield bridge in Mckeesport which connects to Dravosburg 
Steel from this bridge in part came from the Old Wabash  Railroad Bridge .

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wabash_Bridge_(Pittsburgh)

The Mansfield Bridge is a magnificent looking bridge I have been over many times and even carried trolley traffic at one time. its also been scene of horrific accidents due to speeding motorists

https://historicbridges.org/bridges/browser/?bridgebrowser=pennsylvania/mansfieldbridge/

 

So as you can see recycling is not a new thing it has been going on for a long time .