Nature of Operations	12 Months Ended
Aug. 31, 2019
Nature Of Operations [Abstract]
Nature of Operations	Note 1 – Nature of Operations Founded in 1906, Schnitzer Steel Industries, Inc., an Oregon corporation, is one of North America’s largest recyclers of ferrous and nonferrous scrap metal, including end-of-life vehicles, and a manufacturer of finished steel products. Schnitzer Steel Industries, Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries, together, are referred to as the Company. The Company’s internal organizational and reporting structure includes two operating and reportable segments: the Auto and Metals Recycling (“AMR”) business and the Cascade Steel and Scrap (“CSS”) business. AMR acquires and recycles ferrous and nonferrous scrap metal for sale to foreign and domestic metal producers, processors and brokers, and procures salvaged vehicles and sells serviceable used auto parts from these vehicles through a network of self-service auto parts stores. These auto parts stores also supply the Company’s shredding facilities with auto bodies that are processed into saleable recycled scrap metal. CSS operates a steel mini-mill that produces a range of finished steel long products using ferrous recycled scrap metal and other raw materials. CSS’s steel mill obtains substantially all of its scrap metal raw material requirements from its integrated metals recycling and joint venture operations. CSS’s metals recycling operations also sell recycled metal to external customers primarily in export markets. As of August 31, 2019, all of the Company’s facilities were located in the United States (“U.S.”) and its territories and Canada.

Nature of Operations

12 Months Ended

Aug. 31, 2019

Note 1 – Nature of Operations

Founded in 1906, Schnitzer Steel Industries, Inc., an Oregon corporation, is one of North America’s largest recyclers of ferrous and nonferrous scrap metal, including end-of-life vehicles, and a manufacturer of finished steel products. Schnitzer Steel Industries, Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries, together, are referred to as the Company.

The Company’s internal organizational and reporting structure includes two operating and reportable segments: the Auto and Metals Recycling (“AMR”) business and the Cascade Steel and Scrap (“CSS”) business.

AMR acquires and recycles ferrous and nonferrous scrap metal for sale to foreign and domestic metal producers, processors and brokers, and procures salvaged vehicles and sells serviceable used auto parts from these vehicles through a network of self-service auto parts stores. These auto parts stores also supply the Company’s shredding facilities with auto bodies that are processed into saleable recycled scrap metal.

CSS operates a steel mini-mill that produces a range of finished steel long products using ferrous recycled scrap metal and other raw materials. CSS’s steel mill obtains substantially all of its scrap metal raw material requirements from its integrated metals recycling and joint venture operations. CSS’s metals recycling operations also sell recycled metal to external customers primarily in export markets.

As of August 31, 2019, all of the Company’s facilities were located in the United States (“U.S.”) and its territories and Canada.