The Steel Eco-Cycle. Scientific report 2004–2012. Final report

The Steel Eco-Cycle is an environmental research programme with the goal of creating sustainable manufacture and use of steel, with the vision of closing the loop in the manufacture and the use of steel in society. The eight-year-long programme, entitled The Steel Eco-Cycle, was completed in 2012.

The programme is built around a network of researchers and projects. Organisation of the projects has been marked by substantial participation of industry representatives in combination with researchers from universities and institutes in order to ensure both high industrial and scientific value.

The Steel Eco-Cycle is funded by the Foundation for Strategic Environmental Research, Mistra, and the Swedish steel industry in cooperation with the mining, scrap-recycling and manufacturing industries. The programme was hosted by the Swedish Steel Producers Association, Jernkontoret. Jernkontoret’s own wellestablished research organisation has been very successful in disseminating results throughout the industry.

Processes and procedures have been developed. Many of these developments have been applied by the industry during the research period.The potential for marked progress by conservation of natural resources and energy, and by the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions, is high. Developed methods for life cycle environmental evaluations can be used to further develop processes and new steel grades in a sustainable direction.

The outcome of the Steel Eco-Cycle programme research is summarised in this
document and in the associated scientific reports from the component projects.