At present, steel become the prime material for the construction industry. The reason behind of it is making skyscraper building as well as some advantages which makes it an ideal material for construction. In fact, approx. 50% of global steel is consumed by construction industry. Meanwhile, Transport Industry like car, trucks, ship, and aviation sector is the second largest steel consumer of total global steel. Likewise, there are another two largest steel consumer across the globe is machinery manufacturing industry and metal product manufacturing industry, the approximately steel consumed by these two industry is 14% of the global steel.
In the future, these percentages will be increases which impact the steel manufacturing industry. The high requirement will increase the steel production rate which means more hazardous and danger chemical will release to the environment.
Chemicals that affecting the environment which is the prime challenge
During a manufacturing process of steel, lots of chemical and mechanical processes involve to get the required shape. Steel is durable, flexible, cost efficient, high strength and it varied as per the requirement specification. The manufacturing uses a high temperature fire chamber to mold the steel and release high toxic gases such as CO2, CO, SO2, NO2, PM2, H, and N. These highly toxic gases release to the environment and affecting the Ozone layer as well as changing the greenhouse climate of the earth. Not only emitting these gases to environment but also wastewater contaminates solid waste, and hazardous waste released by these steel producing industries to open environment.
Steel manufacturing is doing research for developing the new technology and methods of manufacturing steel so it does less harm to the environment. The steel manufacturing is the largest industry which is impacting the environment in which coking and iron making is on the top.
The few hazardous impacts to the environment
The following steel industry impact to the environment is the common but major. Steel industry uses the approx. four to five type of chemical and organic coating to make the steel final product. The impacts are:
- Change in Climate
- High toxic gases emission to air
- Chemicals and contaminated water release on the land
- Hazardous Solid Waste
No doubt that the air quality at the present is worse than ever or may it can be more in the future. And as it’s well known that the steel manufacturing is affecting the environment on large scale, but they are putting their best effort for developing the new methods which will less the production and emission of the highly toxic gases.