Evaluation of Environmental Burdens of Steel Manufacturing in Pakistan

Abstract

In Pakistan, the iron and steel industry is a leading manufacturing sector that plays a significant role in the national economy and social development. However, it consumes a significant amount of energy, produces various emissions, and generates wastages. An assessment of environmental burdens may enable us to review and improve the environmental outlook of this sector. However, there is limited research on this topic. Thus, the objective of this study is to evaluate the environmental impacts of a mini steel mill (manufacturing plant). The system boundary includes scrap melting, continuous casting, and rolling processes, representing the gate-to-gate steel production. Primary data were collected from a steel production plant, located in Islamabad, Pakistan. The study utilizes SimaPro V9.4 software as the modeling tool and the Recipe method to map various impact categories. The results were discussed at both the midpoint and endpoint levels. The scrap melting process was found with higher impacts in most of midpoint impact categories, including global warming, acidification, ozone depletion, etc. This was mainly because of the energy intensive nature of melting process and coal-based energy generation at the plant. After melting, it was the continuous casting process that generated more impacts, and it was followed by the rolling process. At the endpoint (damages) level, the scrap melting caused more damage to all three areas of protection (human health, ecosystems and resources) than any other production process. The results were calculated for the scenario if the plant is run with cleaner energy sources, such as solar energy. The results were compared with the baseline scenario to show the reduced environmental impacts and discuss potential decarbonizing opportunities. Overall, this study offers valuable insights for the policymakers, practitioners and related researchers who are seeking to promote sustainable and cleaner steel production, especially in the developing world.