Materials efficiency

The most significant, in terms of volume, is the use of blast furnace slag as a clinker substitute in the concrete sector – reducing mineral extraction and CO₂ emissions at the same time. Similarly, steelmaking slags are used in civil engineering and agricultural applications, with tar and benzole from our coke-making processes used within the chemicals industry.

We are continually looking for new ways to make productive use of the materials generated by our processes, and our involvement in the World Steel Association By-Products Management Project will identify further opportunities. Launched in 2007, the aim is to establish the types, quantities and utilisation of steel industry by-products and the drivers for their efficient re-use, recycling or recovery.

Raw material security is a cornerstone of our business strategy, and we aim to increase our self-sufficiency to 100% in India and 50% in Europe. This will involve acquisition of virgin sites for coking coal and iron ore, but also development of new techniques to improve our beneficiation of low-grade minerals, fines from mineral processing and other residual materials.

At our integrated steelworks we already apply advanced techniques to extract valuable components, such as iron and carbon, by re-using most of our residual materials through sinter plants, BOS plants and coke ovens.

During 2008/09, over 18 million tonnes of residual materials were internally re-used through our processes, successfully replacing primary raw materials and reducing our overall CO₂ emissions.

Although we achieve a high level of internal re-use, some waste is inevitably generated. In these cases, the focus shifts to ensuring that waste materials are re-used, recycled, or recovered by third parties.

Landfill is the main method used when disposal is the only cost-effective alternative, and our landfill sites are covered by stringent national regulatory requirements.