core sector communique

worldsteel releases datasets to help lower carbon footprint

Brussels, 3 February 2010 – The World Steel Association (worldsteel) has released its 2010 global steel life cycle inventory (LCI). The datasets provide the most accurate and comprehensive data on the environmental profile of 16 key products, representative of the spectrum of steel production.

The LCI datasets are used for material selection and product design. They are available free of charge to everyone, from worldsteel members and customers to researchers, life cycle assessment (LCA) practitioners and policymakers.

The data enables a full life cycle approach to be utilised when determining the environmental impact of steel-containing products, including their carbon footprints. It is used in LCA studies that guide the development of environmental standards and regulations, and aids manufacturers in compliance and voluntary improvement initiatives.

The 16 key steel products are used in a broad spectrum of industries from construction, automotive and shipbuilding to home appliances, machinery and packaging. The data represents the different steelmaking technologies from around the world.

"The steel industry recognises the importance of life cycle assessment studies because increasingly they serve as the basis for environmental legislation and voluntary initiatives. Consequently, it has never been more important to have true representations of the environmental impact of a product or material, and the release of the 2010 LCI data continues our commitment to provide a major tool for society to design and use products with a lower carbon footprint," said Ian Christmas, Director General of the World Steel Association.

The worldsteel database is the benchmark standard for life cycle information on steel because it is obtained directly from the steel producers worldwide and is based on a critically reviewed methodology. The procedures of LCA are part of the International Standards Organisation (ISO) 14040 series. The new datasets have been developed with advanced modelling software and show the effects of the global recyclability of steel.

The data can be obtained through worldsteel's LCA/LCI contact form on worldsteel.org. For any questions, please contact the worldsteel LCA Manager, broadbent@worldsteel.org.

 

Note:

• Life cycle assessment is used for the systematic evaluation of the environmental impact of a product or material. The key aspect of this tool is a review through all the stages of a product’s life from raw materials extraction, product manufacture to use and eventual disposal or recycling.
• The 16 key products are slab, hot-rolled coil, cold-rolled coil, pickled hot-rolled coil, finished cold-rolled coil, hot-dip galvanised coil, electro-galvanised coil, tinplate, electrolytic-chromium-coated steel, organic coated steel, UO pipe, welded pipe, re-inforcing bar, sections, plate and wire rod.
• The World Steel Association (worldsteel) is one of the largest and most dynamic industry associations in the world. worldsteel represents approximately 180 steel producers (including 19 of the world's 20 largest steel companies), national and regional steel industry associations, and steel research institutes. worldsteel members produce around 85% of the world's steel.