BDSV sees scrap snub in German ‘green’ plan

The Düsseldorf, Germany-based Bundesvereinigung Deutscher Stahlrecycling- und Entsorgungsunternehmen e. V. (BDSV) says the German government’s recently announced “green steel” strategy “falls short” because “the use of steel and alloy steel scrap to reduce CO₂ emissions plays a completely subordinate or no role at all.”

According to BDSV, a “mainly hydrogen-based strategy” for the production of green steel was recently introduced by Federal Minister of Economics Peter Altmeier and steel manufacturers at a hydrogen industry-related conference.

While the federal government is mainly investing tax money in hydrogen-based steel production, the steel recycling industry has been investing its private money in direct climate protection for more than a century, says BDSV.

“Every ton of steel scrap used in steel production saves 1.67 tons of CO₂, and every ton of stainless steel scrap [as much as] 4.3 tons of CO₂,” says BDSV.

“Disregarding this impressive CO₂ saving potential is not only incomprehensible, it also is unwise if one really wants to achieve the ambitious goal of climate neutrality in steel production by 2050,” continues BDSV. “Steel and stainless steel scrap can be recycled any number of times without any loss of quality and, above all, saves primary resources such as ores and coking coal, the mining and transport of which are also very CO₂-intensive.

In addition, BDSV says it is calling for a distinction between secondary raw materials and waste without value within the framework of the revision of the EU Waste Shipment Ordinance (Ordinance No. 1013/2006 on the Shipment of Waste).

There is currently a threat to trade barriers for secondary raw materials due to the planned tightening of the regulations for the shipment of green-listed waste to third countries, says the association.

“The serious consequences of export barriers would be less collection and processing of scrap, less investment in research and development and the loss of an economic basis for steel recycling if scrap prices no longer develop freely on the world market,” states BDSV. “The existence of steel recycling companies would be threatened.”