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Life Cycle Assessment of Steel Produced in an Italian Integrated Steel Mill

Author

Listed:
  • Pietro A. Renzulli

    (Ionian Department of Law, Economics and Environment, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Via Lago Maggiore angolo via Ancona, 74121 Taranto, Italy)

  • Bruno Notarnicola

    (Ionian Department of Law, Economics and Environment, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Via Lago Maggiore angolo via Ancona, 74121 Taranto, Italy)

  • Giuseppe Tassielli

    (Ionian Department of Law, Economics and Environment, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Via Lago Maggiore angolo via Ancona, 74121 Taranto, Italy)

  • Gabriella Arcese

    (Ionian Department of Law, Economics and Environment, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Via Lago Maggiore angolo via Ancona, 74121 Taranto, Italy)

  • Rosa Di Capua

    (Ionian Department of Law, Economics and Environment, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Via Lago Maggiore angolo via Ancona, 74121 Taranto, Italy)

Abstract

The purpose of this work is to carry out an accurate and extensive environmental analysis of the steel production occurring in in the largest integrated EU steel mill, located in the city of Taranto in southern Italy. The end goal is that of highlighting the steelworks’ main hot spots and identifying potential options for environmental improvement. The development for such an analysis is based on a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of steel production with a cradle to casting plant gate approach that covers the stages from raw material extraction to solid steel slab production. The inventory results have highlighted the large solid waste production, especially in terms of slag, which could be reused in other industries as secondary raw materials. Other reuses, in accordance with the circular economy paradigm, could encompass the energy waste involved in the steelmaking process. The most burdening lifecycle phases are the ones linked to blast furnace and coke oven operations. Specifically, the impact categories are influenced by the energy consumption and also by the toxicity of the emissions associated with the lifecycle of steel production. A detailed analysis of the toxicity impacts indicates that LCA is still not perfectly suitable for toxicity assessments and should be coupled with other more site specific studies in order to understand such aspects fully. Overall, the results represent a first step to understanding the current levels of sustainability of the steelworks, which should be used as a starting point for the development both of pollution control measures and of symbiotic waste reutilization scenarios needed to maintain the competitiveness of the industrial plant.

Suggested Citation

  • Pietro A. Renzulli & Bruno Notarnicola & Giuseppe Tassielli & Gabriella Arcese & Rosa Di Capua, 2016. "Life Cycle Assessment of Steel Produced in an Italian Integrated Steel Mill," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(8), pages 1-15, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:8:y:2016:i:8:p:719-:d:74877
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Li Li & Yalin Lei & Dongyang Pan, 2016. "Study of CO 2 emissions in China’s iron and steel industry based on economic input–output life cycle assessment," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 81(2), pages 957-970, March.
    2. Lund, H. & Möller, B. & Mathiesen, B.V. & Dyrelund, A., 2010. "The role of district heating in future renewable energy systems," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 35(3), pages 1381-1390.
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    4. Laura Moretti & Vittorio Mandrone & Antonio D’Andrea & Silvia Caro, 2017. "Comparative “from Cradle to Gate” Life Cycle Assessments of Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA) Materials," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(3), pages 1-16, March.
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    6. Mohammadtaghi Falsafi & Rosanna Fornasiero, 2022. "Explorative Multiple-Case Research on the Scrap-Based Steel Slag Value Chain: Opportunities for Circular Economy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(4), pages 1-18, February.
    7. Kristoffer W. Lie & Trym A. Synnevåg & Jacob J. Lamb & Kristian M. Lien, 2021. "The Carbon Footprint of Electrified City Buses: A Case Study in Trondheim, Norway," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(3), pages 1-21, February.
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    12. Elena Simina Lakatos & Geng Yong & Andrea Szilagyi & Dan Sorin Clinci & Lucian Georgescu & Catalina Iticescu & Lucian-Ionel Cioca, 2021. "Conceptualizing Core Aspects on Circular Economy in Cities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(14), pages 1-21, July.
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