BlueScope's Port Kembla plant will be one of the first in the world to seek accreditation for a more responsible sustainability standard. The steelmaker held a two-day ResponsibleSteel conference this week which saw businesses from around the world come to Port Kembla. The conference saw the unveiling of a sustainability standard for the steel industry. The standard looks to target 12 areas, including climate change and greenhouse gas emissions, effluent and waste, water stewardship and biodiversity.
BlueScope and Archelor Mittal - the largest steelmaker in the world - announced they would be the first to start the accreditation process. For BlueScope, it would mean the certification of Port Kembla, the company's largest manufacturing site anywhere in the world. In an address to the meeting, BlueScope CEO Mark Vassella said sustainability had to become part of the steelmaker's DNA.
"Steel has many sustainability challenges in its manufacture, drawing major flows of raw and processed materials from all over the world, requiring significant energy and freshwater inputs and producing solid, liquid and gaseous waste," Mr Vassella said.
While stating carbon reduction was a key focus, Mr Vassella said this posed a problem for steelmakers This was because carbon was a part of the chemical reaction that processes iron ore into iron - which is used to make steel.
"This means a significant proportion of steel's carbon footprint is linked to the chemistry of making steel rather than the energy required," Mr Vassella said. "Whilst there are alternatives to fossil fuel-based energy there are currently very few alternatives to carbon as a key input material in steelmaking."
The story Sustainability plans for Port Kembla first appeared on Illawarra Mercury.