France: ArcelorMittal has discussed the role of slag in the circular economy at a recent media event in Paris. Alan Knight, head of corporate responsibility, described how steel plays a key role in the circular economy, at a time when the European Union is debating its Circular Economy Package, which includes revised legislative proposals on waste. He detailed a number of projects at ArcelorMittal that are using waste created during the steelmaking process including turning steelmaking slag into agricultural fertiliser as well as making bioethanol to fuel aeroplanes from waste gases created during the steelmaking process.
“At ArcelorMittal we are active in being involved in a number of different partnerships that look to more fully utilise and exploit the potential from re-using by-products and waste gases. We are fully supportive of the concept of carbon capture and utilisation and convinced that this offers an important long-term opportunity for the reduction of CO2,” said Knight.
Key topics discussed at the event included the effects of Chinese steelmaking overcapacity upon the European industry. David Clarke, ArcelorMittal’s head of strategy and chief technology officer, said that imports of steel are effectively ‘swallowing’ up a slow increase in European steel consumption since the market crash in 2009. However, Europe Flat Products chief executive officer Geert Van Poelvoorde added that the European steel industry could prosper under the right legislative framework.
