Steelmakers association Eurofer has welcomed the latest action plan for the circular economy released by European authorities. It nevertheless calls for further incentives aimed at keeping scrap within Europe.
“Over 90% of steel scrap in the EU is collected and we recycle all of the scrap returned to our facilities,” says Eurofer head Axel Eggert. “While recycling is a very effective means for keeping materials in the loop, circularity must strike a balance between ‘recycled content’ and design for ‘end-of-life recyclability’.”
“Both parts need to be assessed per sector, otherwise true circularity will never be achieved,” he continues. “The EU exports millions of tonnes of steel scrap every year, so incentives should be developed to keep circular materials within the EU so as to meet our circular economy and climate objectives.”
The association notes that the carbon embedded in scrap means that using it as a raw material can help reduce emissions from steel production. In recent years numerous European steelmakers have said they will include in their plan to cut their carbon footprint the installation of new electric arc furnaces to partially replace blast furnace-based steelmaking, Kallanish notes.
“As producers of an essential, 100% recyclable and permanent material, steelmakers are eager to see circularity put at the heart of the EU’s policy focus,” Eggert concludes.
