The World Steel Association (worldsteel) has published a new report highlighting the materials essential for steelmaking process. The policy paper recommends that legislation should encourage the sustainable use of steel industry co-products.

According to Asa Ekdahl, Head, Environment and Climate Change, the use of steel industry’s co-products have increased significantly over the past 20 years. On an average, production of one tonne of steel via EAF route generates nearly 200 kilograms of co-products, whereas the production through BOF route produces almost double the volume of co-products. The key solid co-products produced are slags, dust and sludge. Apart from the above, process gases too are important steelmaking co-products.

The co-products are either fed back into the steelmaking process or used in applications in other industries. The use of them helps to prevent landfill waste, increase resource efficiency, reduce carbon dioxide emissions, preserve virgin materials, create value and generate revenue. The steelmakers are encouraged to consider co-products as part of their product portfolio and maximize their use, the policy paper noted.