Reuse and Recycling of By-Products in the Steel Sector

Dear Colleagues,

The concept of a circular economy encourages resource efficiency with the target of sustainable development. A circular economy aims at achieving the maximum valorization of resources through product design, recovery and reuse, remanufacturing and recycling, and the zero-waste goal, based on the full use of raw materials and by-products, as well as landfill reduction. The steel industry is an integral part of the global circular economy and is committed to waste  minimization for improving the socio-economic and environmental sustainability of the steel production cycle.

Iron and steelmaking by-products are produced in parallel to the production of a primary product or as consequence of it. Over the last few decades, their use has significantly increased as a result of the development of innovative technologies improving the quality of recovered materials, and thanks also to synergies with other industrial sectors.

The main solid by-products are slags, dust, and sludge, while process gases from coke ovens, blast furnaces, and basic oxygen furnaces are also important by-products because of their energetic and chemical contents. Slags represent about 90%, by mass, of all solid by-products, and in Europe, they can be used as cement, concrete additives, road construction, metallurgical use, hydraulic engineering, fertilizer, interim storage, and landfill.

The by-products of the steel sector can be reused not only internally, but also externally, in other industries and in wider society, thanks to their physical and chemical properties. In addition, valuable non-ferrous metals can be recovered from many of them.

The use of iron and steelmaking by-products aims at improving the material efficiency rate and reducing energy and emissions, and contributes to the circular economy. The main goal is to achieve the 100% efficient use of raw materials and zero-waste in the sector. The use of by-products increases resource efficiency, prevents landfill waste, reduces CO₂ emissions, and generates revenues.

This Special Issue is focused on new technologies, processes, and solutions for a sustainable valorization of by-products and residues coming from the steel sector. Contributions are expected to cover topics related to technologies and practices for residue reuse and valorization, and/or at least one of the three main dimensions of sustainable development (i.e., environmental, economic, and social), by taking into account barriers and related solutions for residue management and valorization. In addition, this Special Issue aims at covering the exploitation of the solutions and the synergies with other industrial sectors, according to the concepts of circular economy and industrial symbiosis.

Prof. Dr. Valentina Colla
Dr. Teresa Annunziata Branca
Guest Editors

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