Contribution to the evaluation of the environmental footprint of stainless steel production: the case of APERAM Belgium

Abstract

The production of stainless steel has rapidly increased in recent years due to its suitability for a wide range of applications, including construction and automotive industries. However, stainless steel production is a resource and energy-intensive process, which not only increases global warming potential and resource depletion but also contributes to human health damage through emissions and pollutants released during the extraction, processing, and handling of raw materials and ferroalloys. Therefore, as part of the ECWALI project, which is included in the broader Reverse Metallurgy+ portfolio, this thesis focuses on evaluating the prospective environmental burdens associated with key sub-processes in the production of 304L stainless steel at Aperam, Belgium. Through a detailed Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), along with sensitivity and scenario analyses, this research quantifies the environmental impacts associated with each sub-process in 304L stainless steel production. The results indicate that ferroalloys contribute significantly to the impact categories of interest, whereas electricity has a comparatively lower effect. Comparative analysis further reveals that the AOD converter stage has the highest environmental impact due to the larger amount of ferroalloys used compared to the EAF stage. These findings are further confirmed by scenario analysis, which shows that changes in the electricity source have a negligible effect on the overall results, whereas the origin of ferroalloys and the percentage of recycled ferroalloys used in the process substantially influence the outcomes. Ultimately, these findings can guide strategies for reducing the overall environmental burden of stainless steel production by supporting more sustainable practices in the industry.