The Circular Economy & Life Cycle Thinking: Focus on Steel
John Lundrigan Manager - Environment, ArcelorMittal Dofasco • Hamilton Industrial Environmental Association (HIEA) Member • Canadian Steel Producers’ Association (CSPA) Member • worldsteel Member The Circular Economy & Life Cycle Thinking: Focus on Steel
Agenda: 1. The Circular Economy 2. Steel – it’s amazing! 3. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)
Steel should be in a good position to support the circular economy The circular economy should be good for Hamilton
2 MOECC: Building the Circular Economy in Ontario
The strategy supports long lasting and easily recycled products Steel is an ideal fit
3 The Circular Economy
4 A Sustainable Future for Steel
Steel is sustainable
5 Steel Markets and Durability
Steel is durable (and amazing…) 6 The 4Rs: Reduce
Steel is efficient
7 The 4Rs: Reduce
Steel continuously improves
8 4Rs: Use/Reuse
Steel is reusable
9 4Rs: Use/Reuse
Steel by-products have valuable uses
10 4Rs: Use/Reuse
Hamilton steel supports the local circular economy
11 4Rs: Remanufacture
Steel can be remanufactured 12 4Rs Recycle
Steel is the most recycled material in the world
13 Recycling….. Recyclable?
Recycled Upcycled or content? downcycled?
Pre- or post- Recycling consumer rates? recycling? Reuse?
Appropriate definitions will be important in future regulations
14 Life Cycle Assessment
We must consider all impacts from a product’s life
15 Life Cycle Assessment
Steel often has lower environmental impacts than other materials
16 Please remember…
. Must consider the impacts from the whole life cycle
. Steel is a material of choice in a sustainable circular economy: . Reduce - the material that is efficiently used, everywhere in our lives . Use/Reuse – a part of the solution towards zero waste . Remanufacture – the long lasting durable choice for many applications . Recycle - the permanent material in the circular economy; the resource for future generations
. Making steel contributes to a sustainable society
17 References
1. worldsteel: Steel – the permanent material in the circular economy 2. worldsteel and worldautosteel: Life Cycle Assessment of Steel vs. Aluminium Body Structures 3. Canadian Steel Producers’ Association (CSPA): www.canadiansteel.ca 4. ArcelorMittal blog by Brad Davey (Chief marketing officer, NAFTA and global automotive): Reducing greenhouse gases requires a life cycle approach 5. ArcelorMittal website: Lighter Stronger Steel & Steel Designs Magazine
Questions? Background Slides Main Messages – this slide not in final presentation
. Explain the concept of a Circular Economy . Steel’s contribution and fit to the circular economy . LCA to determine the value of steel and recycling steel . What are the key criteria for achieving circularity (early messages to MOECC)
Want people to leave remembering: . Steel makes long lasting durable products and is the most easily recycled material . 4Rs: recognize differences between recycling, reuse, remanufactured . Must consider the sustainability impacts from the whole life cycle of a product (LCA) . Steel is a material of choice in a sustainable circular economy
21 Overview – reduce details in final version
. AMD, CSPA, worldsteel, Eurofer . What is a “Sustainable” Circular Economy? . Worldsteel page 3 . MOECC Strategy . Sustainability . Steel’s contribution to the circular economy . Sustainable future for steel (ws pg 4) . Steel markets and durability: What we have already achieved (ws pg 5) . World steel use . 4Rs: . Reduce . Use & Reuse . Remanufacture . Recycle . What we need to do to become more circular . The value of steel and the value of recycling steel . Life Cycle Assessment (CB slide 6,7,8, ws website) . CO2 aluminium example . What are the key criteria for achieving circularity . Learn from Europe’s experience
22 What is steel recycling worth?
. Avoids 60% of the energy requirements
. Avoids 75% of the CO2 emissions . Lower demand on raw materials . Reduces the need for waste disposal . Can make the same quality products . Steel can be recycled over and over again
. So, why not make all steel from recycled steel scrap? . There is not enough scrap available to meet the demand for steel . Scrap has a value to society which we need to consider in LCA
23 What behaviour are we trying to encourage?
. Durable steel products can last for decades and centuries . Recycling of steel is a well established practice . More than 22 billion tonnes of steel scrap have been recycled . So we need to: . Enable more viable reuse and remanufacturing: . Design for disassembly and recycling . Encourage the recycling of steel . This is why we are working on LCA . Demonstrate the impact and benefits of recycling
24 Steel and the Circular Economy: How is steel part of the solution? . Developments in higher strength steels: 25 to 40% weight saving . New steel products can reduce the carbon footprint of the applications by on average 6 times the footprint of steel production . Innovation in steel's performance / durability: extended service life . Steel is recycled again and again. New steel today is available for future generations . There is potential for more reuse and remanufacturing . We encourage life cycle thinking and LCA in the materials selection process (data, methodology and models) . Continued innovation towards resource efficiency in products / supply chains and by further developing our business models
25 Differences due to transport and electricity
26 Recycling steel in Canada
27 Steel in Canada
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