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International comparison of impurities mixing and accumulation in steel scrap

Author

Listed:
  • Daryna Panasiuk
  • Ichiro Daigo
  • Takeo Hoshino
  • Hideo Hayashi
  • Eiji Yamasue
  • Duc Huy Tran
  • Benjamin Sprecher
  • Feng Shi
  • Volodymyr Shatokha

Abstract

The accumulation of impurities in the recycling of steel impacts the quality of secondary steel. Understanding impurity levels is crucial in the context of the proliferation of circular economy policies, expected high recycling rates, and growth of scrap consumption. By assuming the accumulation of impurities to be equal worldwide, the understanding of the extent and variation of the mixing and accumulation was limited in previous studies, and the factors influencing those variations were not considered. This is a first cross‐national comparison of impurity accumulation in recycled steel. In this study, the copper, tin, nickel, chromium, and molybdenum content was analyzed in over 500 samples of electric arc furnace rebars from China, Japan, Vietnam, Ukraine, and the Netherlands (representing northwestern Europe) with an optical emission spectrometer. The impurity content in rebars represents the content of impurities accumulated in steel scrap in the countries studied. The measured content of impurities was then used to determine the factors influencing the accumulation of those impurities. It was revealed that the recycling technology, the presence of a market for recovered metals, the quality of the material input, steelmaking practices, and the management of byproducts derived from a legislative or economic context played a role in the impurities content. By communicating on scrap chemical content, the collaboration between the recycling and steel industries could be enhanced in terms of matching the demand and supply and facilitating an increase in the scrap share in steelmaking.

Suggested Citation

  • Daryna Panasiuk & Ichiro Daigo & Takeo Hoshino & Hideo Hayashi & Eiji Yamasue & Duc Huy Tran & Benjamin Sprecher & Feng Shi & Volodymyr Shatokha, 2022. "International comparison of impurities mixing and accumulation in steel scrap," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 26(3), pages 1040-1050, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:inecol:v:26:y:2022:i:3:p:1040-1050
    DOI: 10.1111/jiec.13246
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Ester Van der Voet & Lauran Van Oers & Miranda Verboon & Koen Kuipers, 2019. "Environmental Implications of Future Demand Scenarios for Metals: Methodology and Application to the Case of Seven Major Metals," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 23(1), pages 141-155, February.
    2. Daniel R. Cooper & Nicole A. Ryan & Kyle Syndergaard & Yongxian Zhu, 2020. "The potential for material circularity and independence in the U.S. steel sector," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 24(4), pages 748-762, August.
    3. Michikazu Kojima, 2018. "Vehicle Recycling in the ASEAN and other Asian Countries," Books, Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA), number 2017-rpr-16 edited by Michikazu Kojima, April.
    4. Melanie Haupt & Carl Vadenbo & Christoph Zeltner & Stefanie Hellweg, 2017. "Influence of Input-Scrap Quality on the Environmental Impact of Secondary Steel Production," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 21(2), pages 391-401, April.
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    Cited by:

    1. Lima, Ana T. & Kirkelund, Gunvor M. & Lu, Zheng & Mao, Ruichang & Kunther, Wolfgang & Rode, Carsten & Slabik, Simon & Hafner, Annette & Sameer, Husam & Dürr, Hans H. & Flörke, Martina & Lowe, Benjamin, 2024. "Mapping circular economy practices for steel, cement, glass, brick, insulation, and wood – A review for climate mitigation modeling," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 202(C).
    2. Jessie E. Bradley & Willem L. Auping & René Kleijn & Jan H. Kwakkel & Benjamin Sprecher, 2024. "Reassessing tin circularity and criticality," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 28(2), pages 232-246, April.

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