The Nickel Advantage - Nickel in Stainless Steel - Eurometaux
The Nickel Advantage - Nickel in Stainless Steel - Eurometaux
The Nickel Advantage - Nickel in Stainless Steel - Eurometaux
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Recycl<strong>in</strong>g at End-of-Life<br />
Almost any material can be recycled. <strong>The</strong> differences revolve around the amount of effort<br />
– <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g energy – needed to achieve the recycl<strong>in</strong>g and the quality of the recycled material.<br />
Metals <strong>in</strong> general perform very well <strong>in</strong> this regard and nickel-conta<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g sta<strong>in</strong>less steels are<br />
excellent for recycl<strong>in</strong>g. <strong>Nickel</strong>-conta<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g scrap has significant economic value, susta<strong>in</strong>s a large<br />
collection and scrap preparation <strong>in</strong>dustry, and allows the cont<strong>in</strong>uous and expand<strong>in</strong>g production<br />
of “new” sta<strong>in</strong>less steel with a global average of 60% recycled content without any loss of quality.<br />
Chapter 6<br />
Susta<strong>in</strong>able <strong>Nickel</strong><br />
<strong>The</strong> 60% recycled content <strong>in</strong> the commodity grades of sta<strong>in</strong>less steels is not a metallurgical limit.<br />
<strong>The</strong> constra<strong>in</strong>t is the availability of supply. <strong>The</strong> expansion of demand for sta<strong>in</strong>less steels, comb<strong>in</strong>ed<br />
with the longevity of the products that conta<strong>in</strong> sta<strong>in</strong>less steel, means that there is a lag <strong>in</strong> scrap<br />
availability. <strong>The</strong>re is no metallurgical reason why the recycled content of nickel sta<strong>in</strong>less steels<br />
could not approach 100%.<br />
Recycl<strong>in</strong>g does more than conserve physical resources although it does that very well. It also<br />
currently reduces energy demand by 33% and CO 2 production by 32% per tonne. As the ratio<br />
of scrap to virg<strong>in</strong> materials <strong>in</strong> sta<strong>in</strong>less steel production <strong>in</strong>creas<strong>in</strong>gly favours scrap, the energy<br />
sav<strong>in</strong>gs rise to a potential 67% for energy and 70% for CO 2 . (Yale 1 )<br />
<strong>Nickel</strong> stocks and flows for the year 2000, <strong>in</strong> thousands of metric tonnes<br />
Dispersed,<br />
<strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g<br />
to landfill<br />
181<br />
To steel<br />
and copper<br />
87<br />
Ni available<br />
<strong>in</strong> goods at EOL<br />
604<br />
Ni <strong>in</strong><br />
goods<br />
“apparent use”<br />
870<br />
Ni <strong>in</strong><br />
semi-f<strong>in</strong>ished<br />
products<br />
1473<br />
<strong>Nickel</strong><br />
from<br />
m<strong>in</strong>es<br />
Total Ni used<br />
1649<br />
New nickel<br />
1120<br />
“<br />
Recycl<strong>in</strong>g currently<br />
reduces energy<br />
demand by 33% and<br />
CO2 production by<br />
32% per tonne.<br />
”<br />
Ni <strong>in</strong><br />
fabrication scrap<br />
173<br />
Total recycled<br />
nickel units<br />
549<br />
Ni actually<br />
collected at EOL<br />
350<br />
Ni scrap<br />
<strong>in</strong> stock<br />
25<br />
Much of today’s nickel stock is <strong>in</strong> use, bound <strong>in</strong> durable structures, eng<strong>in</strong>es, or pip<strong>in</strong>g that is<br />
still serv<strong>in</strong>g out its useful life <strong>in</strong> the product’s life cycle.<br />
Source: Yale University, 2008.<br />
1<br />
Johnson, J. et al, <strong>The</strong> energy benefit of sta<strong>in</strong>less steel recycl<strong>in</strong>g, Energy Policy. Vol. 36, Issue 1, Jan. 2008, p181ff.<br />
www.nickeladvantage.org PAGE 47
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