The present invention is based upon the discovery that the level of adhesion between steel reinforcing elements and rubber products, such as conveyor belts, in which they are embedded can be significantly reduced by heating the steel reinforcing elements by induction heating to break down the level of bonding between the steel reinforcing elements and the rubber in the article. The present invention more specifically discloses a method for recovering steel reinforcements from a conveyor belt carcass having steel reinforcements which are bonded to the carcass of the conveyor belt, said method comprising (1) heating the steel reinforcements in the conveyor belt by induction heating to a temperature which is sufficient to substantially breakdown bonding between the steel reinforcements and the carcass of the conveyor belt and (2) applying a mechanical force to the steel reinforcements which is sufficient to separate the steel reinforcements from the conveyor belt carcass.