worldsteel: providing the basis for LCA studies

Clare Broadbent, 6th April 2011

Contents
Life cycle thinking in the context of sustainability What is Life Cycle Assessment? worldsteel LCA data collection and results Steel and recycling Steel and other materials The use of worldsteel data worldsteels role in promoting life cycle thinking A sustainable multi-material world

06 April 2011

Life Cycle Thinking: Key to every aspect of Sustainability

06 April 2011

What is Life Cycle Assessment?

LCA models the complex interaction between a product and the environment, from cradle to grave
Inventory Analysis Goal and Scope Definition Impact Assessment

Interpretation ISO 14040/44

Consider the full life cycle of steel The results can demonstrate
How green steel is compared to other materials Where improvements can be made to make steel greener
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What can LCA show?

The overall impact of a product / service
Global warming potential (GWP) Primary energy demand (PED) Acidification Toxicity Ozone depletion potential (ODP) Resource depletion

Can also be used to focus on single criteria, e.g. carbon footprint of a product All Impacts throughout all phases of a products life cycle
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worldsteel LCI data

Data is externally available for 14 steel products

worldsteel co-ordinated project Data is collected from steel producers, on a site-by-site basis, and on a process-by-process basis
e.g. Coke, Sinter, BF, BOF, EAF, Rolling, Coating, Pipe making etc e.g. Power, fuels, coal, iron ore, scrap, limestone, water, alloys etc. e.g. air emissions, water emissions, waste, recovered materials etc

The data shows all inputs and outputs for each of the processes

Data is modelled in LCA software, GaBi Average product specific data is generated and is available for use by all members: represents 1 tonne of product
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Emissions throughout the life cycle

Global Warming Potential, kg CO2-e

Upstream emissions Raw materials and electricity Site (scope 1)

Steel industry responsibility Avoided emissions for end of life recycling

Recycling credit

Sections
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Hot Rolled Coil

7

Hot Dip Galvanised

Life Cycle Contributions

Primary Energy Demand, MJ per kg steel

30 25 20 15 10 5 0 -5 -10

On-site (Scope 1) Recycling credit (85%)

Upstream Cradle to gate including recycling

Sections
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Hot Rolled Coil

8

Hot Dip Galvanised

Contribution analysis
Fuels contributing to PED
Crude Oil Hard Coal Natural Gas Uranium Renewables Lignite

GHGs contributing to GWP

Carbon dioxide Methane Others

Sections

Hot Rolled Coil

Hot Dip Galvanised

Sections

Hot Rolled Coil

Hot Dip Galvanised

Acidification potential

Emissions to water

HCl / HFl

H2S

SO2

NOx

Ammonia

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Sections

Hot Rolled Coil 9

Hot Dip Galvanised

GWP for Slab Production

kg CO2-e per kg of slab production
BOF Slab 2 EAF Slab

-1

1kg Slab
-2

Scrap input burden

Scrap recycling credit (80%)

1kg slab including recycling

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Steel leads on Recycling

We know that:
Steel can be indefinitely recycled with no loss in inherent properties Steel is the most recycled material Steel is the easiest material to recycle > 20 billion tonnes of steel scrap has been recycled For every tonne of steel recycled, this saves:
1.5 tonnes CO2-e 1.4 tonnes iron ore 13 GJ primary energy

Recycling rates for steel applications are typically very high:

> 95% for automotive > 80% for buildings ~ 70% for packaging

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GHG emissions (kg CO2-e per kg material)

Steel Aluminium Concrete Carbon FRP Wood PET

But: Never compare kg / kg Always compare a functional unit

1 litre coke Car, lifetime 200,000km Building, 50 years

Driving distance

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LCA of columns
120 100
100

110% 100% 57%

80
100%

sk = 3.5m

90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 Steel S235 Steel S460 27% 14%

60 40 20 0 Steel S235

Concrete

Primary Energy Consumption

Steel S460

Concrete

Weight

100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0

83%

100%

43%

Steel S235

Steel S460

Concrete

From ArcelorMittal
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Global Warming Potential

Requests for worldsteel data

The demand for worldsteel LCI data for steel products is increasing

Requests from:
Consultants Academia Industry Database providers
400 350 300 250 200 150 100 50 0 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

~ 50 countries

Requests for:
Buildings Packaging Household/furniture Transport Machines Bridges Carbon Automotive Databases Steel manufacturing Product design
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06 April 2011

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worldsteel Promoting Life Cycle Thinking

Board member of the UNEP SETAC Life Cycle Initiative
Project on material decision making tools Development of global guidance on LCA databases

European Commission LCA development WRI and WBCSD GHG protocol corporate and product standards Development of ISO standards
water footprint carbon footprint packaging and the environment

Promoting the recyclability of steel and LCA benefits All market sectors are covered
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A sustainable multi-material world

Steel is not always the answer But steel is a key material In material decision making:
Use good quality data Avoid shifting burdens by focusing only on one life cycle phase, e.g. use phase Follow a full life cycle approach
From cradle to grave, including recycling Including impacts other than GHG emissions

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Clare Broadbent Manager, Life Cycle Assessment broadbent@worldsteel.org +32 2 702 89 32

Cover photo by Daniel Rodrguez Molowny