DETERMINATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS IN METALLURGICAL INDUSTRY. VAVRA Jan, BEDNARIKOVA Marie, MIKOLAJKOVA Marketa

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1 DETERMINATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS IN METALLURGICAL INDUSTRY VAVRA Jan, BEDNARIKOVA Marie, MIKOLAJKOVA Marketa University of Pardubice, Czech Republic, Studentska 95, Abstract In production processes used materials and final products must be assessed to discover whether they complete the expected technical objectives, contribute to the expected economic performance and whether environmental expectations and requirements have been met. It is essential to find suitable attitudes to improve the used materials and final products characteristics, especially by means of system-controlled processes. Economic performance have typically been dealt with by means of well-known and sophisticated financial and marketing analysis methods, while technology and engineering methods are used for technical aspects assessment. On the other hand environmental requirements have often been neglected if not completely missing. There exist several generic attitudes to support assessment methods involving the connected economic and environmental criteria. Many companies in metallurgy introduce environmental management systems and environmental accounting in consideration of potential savings and avoiding material wastage. But effective environmental management system should bring more information, especially about all relevant and important environmental aspects of company s production processes. The contribution deals with the assessment of environmental aspects of metallurgical materials production and their impact on environment. The main objective is to determine optimized ways of selection and evaluation of sustainability aspects for company materials and products to reinforce company competitiveness, environmental performance and sustainability. The opportunity to save costs and the effort to prevent rare materials wastage seems to be a strong motivation for the improvement of company s environmental performance; therefore the improvement of the corporate assessment processes is an inevitable step on the way to environmentally responsible company. Keywords: Environmental aspects, life cycle analysis, corporate sustainability, material flow management 1. INTRODUCTION Many companies implement waste management or environmental departments to empower potential cost savings and avoid wasting, but concept of sustainability requires much more. Ensuring that aspects of sustainability were considered within business processes requires basic implementation of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) followed by Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) to improve decision making processes for sustainable or greener practices. These methods should serve as supporting tools for managers considering each relevant environmental aspect of company s processes. Assessment of environmental aspects of metallurgical materials production and their impact on environment was discussed by many authors, i.e. Van Berkel 2000, Giurco 2001, Lunt 2002, Norgate 2006, Narita 2008 or Haque 2010 [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6] and mostly used approach is based on LCA principles implemented as the standards of the International Standards Organization (ISO) Environmental Management Standard. Using of ISO 14001:2004 enable to company identify and control the environmental impacts, improve its environmental performance and implement a systematic approach to set environmental objectives and targets and achieve them. For assessing the environmental performance of processes exist numerous approaches, not only mentioned LCA, but there should be either used Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), Materials Intensity per Unit of Service (MIPS), Materials Flux Analysis (MFA) or Material Flow Cost Accounting (MFCA) [2].

2 Regardless of approach used, companies must be able to accurately analyze the environmental aspects and impacts caused by manufacturing processes [5]. Unfortunately aspects and impacts of metallurgical technologies remains insufficiently evaluated and determined and the relationship between metallurgical technologies and environmental impact unsatisfactory discussed. Methodology of our research was based on search of bibliographical databases to identify scientific articles, review monographs and grey literature reports. The use of the Internet also identified steel and metals producers, in order to obtain the environmental data and life cycle studies for their products. An environmental specialist from a Czech company manufacturing steel products (ZDAS, plc.) was also consulted and small business case was realized in the company. 2. ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS According standard definitions environmental aspect is a feature or characteristic of processes that affects or can affect the environment and every time an activity, product, or service interacts with the environment, it has an environmental aspect. [7] As a first and obviously crucial step must be logically performed identification of all relevant environmental aspects, but that is not the intention of Standards and especially for metallurgy processes must be aspects considered carefully, because metallurgical industry comprise of potential harmful processes with serious impacts on an environment. 2.1 Identification of environmental aspects Certification bodies for EMS standards such as ISO require formal and logical assessment of environmental aspects and impacts. In order to identify environmental aspects must be determined how company s processes or final products affect the environment. For each company s process and product managers need to list unique environmental aspects. Identifying environmental aspects is usually realized by transferring the input and output information from the processes to environment aspect identification forms, determining significant environmental aspects by evaluating against pre-established significance determination criteria, documenting your approach to environmental aspects identification and significance determination and reviewing and revising environmental aspects over time. Managers only have to work on the most significant environmental aspects and furthermore, not have to work on all significant aspects, only those that can actually influence or control. [7] Aspects can be direct or indirect, direct sustainable aspect are related with projected activities over which a company can be expected to have an influence and control and indirect sustainable aspect are related with actual or potential activities over which the organization can be expected to have an influence, but no control. Complete register of environmental aspects should contain a list of all potential environmental aspects, an assessment of the significance of each environmental aspect following with a note of what actions should be taken to reduce the impacts of significant aspects. For each significant environmental aspect should be assigned an objective to ensure control and improvement. It is recommended to describe identified aspects and determine their significance in the form of a written procedure and keep the resulting information updated [8]. 2.2 Environmental aspects in metallurgy In metallurgical industry during mining and processing solid, liquid and gas emissions are directly produced. During mineral resource extraction and processing when ores from mining are physically adjusted and then chemically transformed to extract metals and produce industrial materials are mentioned potential releases of gas, liquid and unwanted solid emissions. [4] Emissions contains toxic metals (e.g. cadmium, nickel, mercury, arsenic and lead) and other biologically essential metals (e.g. zinc and copper) but in huge amounts. In association with the consumption of raw materials and utilities, significant amounts of energy are required. The impacts are extended by used reagents, detergents, water and fuel.

3 On the other hand final products steel and metals, are stable, reversible products and wastes from production processes - slag, ash, cinder or sands from foundries are processable for other purposes with relatively acceptable impact on environment. Some wastes arise from auxiliary processes (e.g. energy production, greasing or cutting mixtures). From this general production conditions results main aspects categories that should be primary monitored and solved concerning primary: Acidification, Eutrophication, Greenhouse Gases Emissions and Photochemical Ozone Creation Potential. Acidification is caused by emissions with acidifying effects to the environment and is expressed as kilogram SO2 Equivalent. [9] The major acidifying emissions in metallurgy are nitrogen oxides (NO x ) to a lesser extent sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ) and ammonia emissions that lead to ammonium deposition. Eutrophication is caused by emissions with eutrophying effects to the environment and is expressed as kilogram of Phosphate Equivalent. The eutrophication in metallurgy is primarily caused substrates and gasses (like NO x, NH 3, PO 4- ) to the water and air (mostly as a result of dissolving or bate processes). Measure of the emission of greenhouse gases (GHG) such as CO 2 and methane (CH 4 ) express The Global Warming Potential (GWP); expressed as kilogram of CO 2 equivalents. Greenhouse gas emissions trap some of the reflected outgoing solar energy and retain heat somewhat like the casting of the greenhouse. The Photochemical Ozone Creation Potential (POCP) measures the emissions of precursors that contribute to low level smog, produced by the reaction of NO x and volatile organic compounds (VOC) under the influence of ultra violet light. [9] POCP is expressed as kg Ethene equivalent. Importance of mentioned impact categories can be demonstrated by presented LCA studies where main importance was focused on greenhouse and acidification gas emissions (i.e. Global Warming Potential [GWP] and Acidification Potential [AP], respectively), with the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) characterization model being used to calculate these impact categories [10]. 3. ASSESSMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS OF METALLURGICAL PROCESSES Based on case study realized in steel production company was formulated proposal of methodology for assessment of environmental aspects. To identify the environmental aspects and impacts according principles of LCA is necessary to realize the inventory analysis. Environmental aspects in metallurgical sector may be classified according to various criteria. In the process of environment aspect identification are useful detailed process flow diagrams along with material and energy balance. Assessment of environmental aspects of metallurgical processes should follow sequence of logical steps: 1) Definition of all relevant aspects. 2) Estimation of each aspect. 3) Selection of most important key aspects. 4) Assigning an objective to each key aspect to ensure control and improvement. To implement correctly the process of identifying significant environmental aspects at a company must ensure periodical evaluation of selected aspects and sequence of steps during time must be regularly repeated. 3.1 Definition of relevant environmental aspects Companies must determine all relevant environmental aspects. In accordance with ISO requirements a company should develop a procedure for identifying environmental aspects of its activities, products and services, that are to be controlled by the company. [10] Companies register current, past, future and potential aspects. There are external aspects as well as internal aspects. As mentioned above the process of identification of aspects is concerning primary Acidification, Eutrophication, Greenhouse Gases Emissions and Photochemical Ozone Creation Potential. From these impact categories can be specified list of indispensable aspects mentioned by many sources [4, 11, 12]. CO 2, CH 4 fossil fuel combustion

4 CFCs, halons, other chlorinated compounds SO 2, NO x, NH 3 Spillage of chemicals, mostly acids (HCl, H 2 SO 4, H 3 PO 4, HNO 3, ) Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) Contamination of land, (metals: Hg, Cd, Ni, As, Pb, etc.) Electricity consumption Use of raw materials and natural resources (ore, coal for heating) Waste generation from auxiliary processes But apart from these aspects must be mentioned other aspects, although those are not discussed extensively in literature. Following list represent findings from depth interviews with managers of metallurgical and chemical industries. [8] Findings result to formulation of list of other important direct and indirect environmental aspects that should be taken into account (table 1). Table 1: List of other aspects Aspect Category: Emissions to air Energy Consumption Materials (Storage and Use) Product Waste Management Natural Resources Visual, Noise, Nuisance Other issues Environmental Aspect Automobile, bus, truck emissions Industrial emissions: evaporation (furans, alkenes, etc.) Renewable Sources (biofuel) Heating discharge Air deposition Safe and Secure Storage Safety product Product weight - dematerialization Possitive environmental profile of product Reuse Recycle Collection of used products Depletion, combustion, Over consumption Habitat destruction Construction Production, processes, waters Machinery, traffic Impact on communities Other local environmental and community issues To determine properly all relevant environmental aspects must be importance focused not only on mostly mentioned impact categories, but either on other aspects, because those can be evaluated as important. 3.2 Estimation of environmental aspects To evaluate aspect must be selected appropriate criteria for estimation. Commonly main criteria in the process of environmental aspect evaluation include environmental criteria and economical criteria. [11] According our findings estimate aspects only on base of 2 criteria should be extended with other criteria reflecting legislation importance, social criteria (employee influence). Following table 2 shows simple scale for all mentioned criteria.

5 Table 2 Scales for evaluation criteria Environment / Social criteria Economic / Legal criteria 1 very small impact 1 unimportant aspect 2 small impact 2 less important aspect 3 average impact 3 average importance 4 strong impact 4 very important aspect 5 very strong impact 5 critical (mandatory) aspect After evaluating each aspect using points (from 1 to 5) should be set final sum multiplying all coefficients to express Total importance of the aspect. Total sum should identify key activities in the company. Calculation of Total importance could be illustrated on example of Night noise emission. (Table 3) Table 3 Calculation of Total aspect importance (Night noise emission - (points are exampled)) Criterion Environmental Social Economical Legal Evaluation small impact very strong impact less important aspect very important aspect Value Calculation Total importance of aspect: 1 x 5 x 1 x 4 = Selection of most important environmental aspects Determination of significant aspects should follow several rules: The first criterion is whether the aspect is subject to environmental or any other regulation. All of these aspects are significant. The second point of view is whether an aspect is the subject of facility policy, goals, or voluntary commitments. If these facility policies/goals apply to the company, then the associated aspects should be considered significant. The third criterion to consider involves the views of stakeholders. Aspects that the external stakeholders (most often community or customers considers important should be significant). The fourth criterion is whether the aspect improves environmental profile, for example has good potential (technical and financial) for pollution prevention improvements. The fifth criterion is whether the aspect has the potential to seriously damage the environment or involve society. Calculation based on total sum should select the important aspect out of the whole set of all relevant aspects, which have to be controlled and monitored by the company. Company should set minimal value of total importance value for important aspects. All aspects above this value are significant. According our findings only total sum is not sufficient condition. Along with mentioned determination of significant aspects when evaluation shows highest value (value 5) for aspects either in environment, social, legal or economic criterion, this aspect should be considered as important. Previously mentioned aspect Night noise emission has value 5 in Social criterion, although total sum is relatively low (20 points), for a particular group of stakeholders seems to be as a crucial aspect and thus it should be important for the company as well. 3.4 Control and improvement of important environmental aspects Reviewing and revising environmental aspects over time represents last step of environmental aspect assessment process. Company must bring list of aspects up to date periodically and periodically estimate (calculate) importance of all relevant aspects. Only regular monitoring, reporting and continuous improvement ensure elimination of risks arising from underestimated impacts of company s activities.

6 Proposed methodology considers also potential environmental impacts like natural resources consumption, traffic emission or visual, noise and nuisance impacts. 4. CONCLUSIONS In most life cycle studies from metallurgical industry the environmental impact categories considered are greenhouse and acidification gas emissions and the total energy consumption, although other environmental impact categories are also important in LCA studies, although those are not discussed extensively in literature. Other important direct and indirect aspects that should be taken into account are related with product dematerialization, wastes from auxiliary processes, reusing and recycling of steel and other metals or visual, noise and nuisance effects. Assessment of environmental aspects of metallurgical processes should follow succesively: definition of all relevant aspects; estimation of each aspect; selection of most important aspects; assigning an objective to each important aspect to ensure control and improvement. Proposed evaluation methodology should ensure that none of important aspects will be omitted. Determination sustainable aspects of metallurgical processes is a first necessary step for improvement of company s processes in order to be sure that company s activities leads to corporate sustainability, corporate social responsibility and sustainable development. Therefore it is necessary continuously improve evaluation systems and Environmental Impact Assessment processes, covering and considering mentioned methodology we propose in our research findings. REFERENCES [1] VAN BERKEL, R. Life cycle assessment for environmental improvement of minerals production. Minerals council of Australia environmental workshop; p [2] GIURCO, D., STEWART, M., PETRIE, J. The role of LCA in performance assessment in minerals processing - a copper case study. Environmental issues and management of waste in energy and mineral production p [3] LUNT, D., ZHUANG, Y., LA BROOY, S. Life cycle assessment of process options for copper production. In: Green processing Cairns: The AusIMM; May p [4] NORGATE, T.E., JAHANSHAHI, S., RANKIN, W.J. Assessing the environmental impact of metal production processes, Journal of Cleaner Production (2007) Volume: 15, Issue: 8-9, Pages: , ISSN: [5] NARITA H., FUJIMOTO, H. Analysis of Environmental Impact due to Machine Tool Operation, International Journal of Automation Technology, Vol.3, No.1 p , 2009, ISSN : [6] HAQUE, N., T. NORGATE, T. E. LCA of mining and metal production. Technology, 2010 p [7] ISO 14001, (2004), Environmental Management Systems Specification with Guidance for Use. International Organization for Standardization. [8] VAVRA, J., MUNZAROVA, S., BEDNARIKOVA, M., EHLOVA, Z. Sustainable Aspects of Innovations, in 16th International Conference Economics and Management 2011 ICEM, Brno, Czech Republic, April 2011 Book of Papers, Brno University of Technology, 2011, ISSN [9] PE Americas, Life Cycle Impact Assessment of Aluminum Beverage Cans, May 21, 2010 Final Report Prepared for: Aluminum Association, Inc. Washington, D.C. available on: < [10] NORGATE T.E., JAHANSHAHI S., RANKIN W.J. Alternative routes to stainless steel a life cycle approach. In Tenth International Ferroalloys Congress; 1 4 February 2004 INFACON X: Transformation through Technology Cape Town, South Africa, 2004, p , ISBN [11] GAJDZIK, B. Environmental management in a steel smelting company and environmental aspects. Annals of the faculty of engineering Hunedoara Journal of engineering. Vol. 4, Issue 2, 2008, ISSN [12] NORGATE, T. E., RANKIN, W. J., Life cycle assessment of copper and nickel production, Proceedings of MINPREX 2000, pp (The Australian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy; Melbourne).