Efficient use of natural resources

As a basic industry, ArcelorMittal Gent utilises large quantities of iron ore, fluxes, energy and water. One of the key elements in our environmental policy is thus the efficient use of natural resources and energy. That is why we continuously invest in our production installations so that we may produce steel even more efficiently. In addition we also aim to convert the materials, used during our production processes, into useful new products. We distinguish:

1. By-products
2. Residues
3. Waste

By-products

By-products can easily be re-utilised as raw material or they can serve as a synthetic finished product (viz. an alternative to natural rocks). An important by-product are the liquid slags that are formed at high temperature in the blast furnaces and steel shop. The blast furnace’ slags can be transformed into blast furnace sand which can then be used in the concrete industry. The liquid slags coming from the steel shop can, depending on its specific qualities, be transformed in LD gravel. LD gravel is used during road constructions. Steel slag which is not suitable as LD gravel, can serve as a sustainable hardening for, for instance, roads, driveway entrance ramps and hydraulic engineering works (such as the reinforcement of the banks of the Western Scheldt).

ArcelorMittal Gent also produces three gases:

1. coke oven gas in the coking plant
2. blast furnace gas in the blast furnaces
3. converter gas in the steel shop

These gasss are rich of energy. We thus recuperate and purify them, before re-utilising them as a fuel in our own processes instead of using (externally bought) natural gas. We utilise our coke oven gas entirely within our plant. We first separate the tar, benzol and sulphur which are present in the coke oven gas. These products are used as raw materials in the chemical industry. Blast furnace gas and converter gas are partly used on site. The amount of gas that we cannot use ourselves, is converted into electricity by the electrical power plant nearby.

Residues

Residues are mainly iron oxide and other carbon holding residues that are inevitable created during our production processes. They are separated from gas or water streams by a dust collector or via our water treatment installation. We aim to fully re-utilise these products but keep into account however the process technical requirements and the possible impact on the environment. By re-utilising the materials, we are able to save up on the purchase of expensive raw materials. Furthermore, we utilise our natural resources more efficiently and avoid having to dump material.

At different stages of the production process, scrap is created. Both the scrap gathered on site as well as purchased (external) scrap, are utilised in the converter of the steel shop, where liquid steel is created from hot metal. We are always on the lookout for new recycling possibilities for the residues that we cannot re-use internally.

Waste

‘Waste’ means: Those materials that are difficult to re-utilise. We collect them selectively before disposing via established processors.

The technical landfill center of Chatqueue collects the byproducts and waste coming from the production sites of ArcelorMittal Liège. The site of Chatqueue is EMAS certified (Eco Management and Audit Scheme).