Qatar Steel receiving the ‘Innovative Waste Recycle/Waste Management Practices’ award from HE Dr al-Sada.
Qatar Steel recently won the award for Innovative Waste Recycle/Waste Management Practices in the recently-launched “Sustainability Report 2013.”
HE the Energy Minister Dr Mohamed bin Saleh al-Sada bestowed the award to Qatar Steel technical manager Majid Mohamed al-Marri, who met the minister on behalf of the company’s officials.
The award was the second distinction received by Qatar Steel. The company received its first award as the 1st Runner-Up in the 2011 Sustainable Reporting awarding ceremony.
Al-Marri said Qatar Steel is working to reduce its environmental impact by investing in cutting-edge technology and continuous improvements in efficiency.
This reduces Qatar’s overall environmental impact, enhances customer loyalty, and supports Qatar Steel’s promise of “Making Steel Matter.”
Al-Marri said seeking the most eco-friendly technologies in steel-making remains one of Qatar Steel’s top priorities.
Unlike scrap-based steel plants, which often face emission-control challenges resulting from heavy metals and toxic chemicals present in the scrap, al-Marri said Qatar Steel’s production is based on DRI, one of the cleanest raw materials available.
Al-Marri said this has enabled the company to maintain very low levels of heavy metal and dioxin emissions.
The company, he added, is working relentlessly to reduce its operational waste, including steel scrap, EAF slag, and various operational by-products.
Steel scrap, which accounts for most of the by-product generated by steel-making operations, is utilised entirely; the scraps are first collected and classified, then stored in designated areas before finally used as raw material in steel-making operations. More than 90% of Qatar Steel’s operational waste generated are being recycled or reused by selling it as by-product.
Qatar Steel has established a joint venture with world-renowned, waste-recycling company EBM (Environmental Building Material) to process slag. This initiative will ensure that the waste is used in the best way possible without harming the environment or the end-user.
The company has already obtained a Non-Objection Letter from the Ministry of Environment to use slag as aggregate in non-structural concrete and asphalt-base course. Recycling of slag will help in reducing the overall mining of prime material.
The collaboration with Qatalum to recycling its carbon waste was a landmark step in sustainability development plans. During aluminum production, Qatalum generates different wastes consisting of carbon content from a range of 70% to 96%.
To work for a sustainable future, Qatar Steel explored the use of carbon-bearing materials in its steel-melting shop as replacement for lump coke and recarburisers.
With an encouraging trial run, the process was streamlined to recycle 750 tonnes per month of different carbon wastes at Qatar Steel’s furnaces.
“Qatar Steel’s activity was not restricted to steel waste-recycling but we also process wood waste, which results from packaging materials,” Majid said.