<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-11-06</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000912603</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>SCHNITZER STEEL INDUSTRIES INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>SCHN</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001249508</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>ROMAIN GAYLE S</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>3200 NW YEON AVENUE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>PORTLAND</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>OR</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>97210</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>0</isDirector><isOfficer>0</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Class A Common Stock</value></securityTitle><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>300</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>See Note</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeHolding><nonDerivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Class A Common Stock</value></securityTitle><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>300</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>See Note</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeHolding><nonDerivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Class A Common Stock</value></securityTitle><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>20200</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>By Trust</value><footnoteId id="F3"/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeHolding><nonDerivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Class A Common Stock</value></securityTitle><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>2850</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>By Trust</value><footnoteId id="F4"/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeHolding><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Class A Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-11-06</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>S</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>4736</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>39.7631</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>20000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>By Trust</value><footnoteId id="F5"/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Class A Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-11-06</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>S</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>2000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>39.4386</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>18000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>By Trust</value><footnoteId id="F5"/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Class A Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-11-06</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>S</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>2000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>39.5531</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>16000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>By Trust</value><footnoteId id="F5"/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Class A Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-11-06</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>S</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>680</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>39.6941</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>15320</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>By Trust</value><footnoteId id="F5"/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Class A Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-11-07</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>S</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>2000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>39.8176</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>13320</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>By Trust</value><footnoteId id="F5"/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Class A Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-11-07</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>S</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>2000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>39.6481</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>11320</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>By Trust</value><footnoteId id="F5"/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Class A Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-11-07</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>S</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>2000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>39.70</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>9320</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>By Trust</value><footnoteId id="F5"/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Class A Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-11-07</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>S</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>3320</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>39.7572</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>6000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>By Trust</value><footnoteId id="F5"/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction></nonDerivativeTable><derivativeTable><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Class B Common Stock</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><footnoteId id="F6"/></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><footnoteId id="F6"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><footnoteId id="F6"/></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Class A Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>30000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>30000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>By Trust</value><footnoteId id="F5"/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Class B Common Stock</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><footnoteId id="F6"/></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><footnoteId id="F6"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><footnoteId id="F6"/></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Class A Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>161294</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>161294</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>By Voting Trust</value><footnoteId id="F3"/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Class B Common Stock</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><footnoteId id="F6"/></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><footnoteId id="F6"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><footnoteId id="F6"/></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Class A Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>219286</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>219286</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>By Voting Trust</value><footnoteId id="F4"/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Class B Common Stock</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><footnoteId id="F6"/></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><footnoteId id="F6"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><footnoteId id="F6"/></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Class A Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>11862</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>11862</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>By Voting Trust</value><footnoteId id="F7"/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Class B Common Stock</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><footnoteId id="F6"/></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><footnoteId id="F6"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><footnoteId id="F6"/></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Class A Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>5931</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>5931</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>By Voting Trust</value><footnoteId id="F8"/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding></derivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Represents shares held by Paul Romain, the spouse of reporting person, as Custodian under the Oregon Uniform Transfers to Minors Act F/B/O Danielle Romain.</footnote><footnote id="F2">Represents shares held by Paul Romain, the spouse of reporting person, as Custodian under the Oregon Uniform Transfers to Minors Act F/B/O Mikhael Romain.</footnote><footnote id="F3">Voting trust certificates or shares, as the case may be, are held by Gayle S. Romain and Rita S. Philip, Trustees of Gayle S. Romain Family Trust U/A/D October 9, 1995.</footnote><footnote id="F4">Voting trust certificates or shares, as the case may be, are held by Dina S. Meier and Gayle S. Romain, Trustees of the Dina S. Meier Revocable Trust U/A/D 8/19/94.</footnote><footnote id="F5">Voting trust certificates or shares, as the case may be, are held by Gayle S. Romain, Trustee for Gayle S. Romain, et al, under Trust Agreement dated January 30, 1970.</footnote><footnote id="F6">Class B Common Stock is immediately convertible on a one-for-one basis into Class A Common Stock and has no expiration date.</footnote><footnote id="F7">Voting trust certificates are held by Gayle S. Romain, Family Trustee, and Mardi S. Schnitzer, Independent Trustee, U/A/D December 22, 1994 F/B/O Laura H. Rosencrantz.</footnote><footnote id="F8">Voting trust certificates are held by Gayle S. Romain, Family Trustee, and Mardi S. Schnitzer, Independent Trustee, U/A/D December 22, 1994 F/B/O Bryan L. Rosencrantz.</footnote></footnotes><remarks/><ownerSignature><signatureName>Charles A. Ford, Attorney-In-Fact</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-11-10</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

