Worldwide, there is an ongoing trend to enhance steel production by using scrap as the primary raw material. Out of the many benefits, scrap recycling helping in conserving the environment stands out the most catalytic converter scrap price. By using one ton of scrap, we can save approximately 630 kg of coking coal, 1.1 tons of iron ore, and 55 kg of limestone. Not only that, but there will also be considerable energy consumption savings of up to 17%. It will also help to reduce water consumption by up to 40% and GHG emissions by up to 58%. As per the Ministry of Steel, the global steel scrap demand has seen an upward growth from 367 mt (in 2000) to 589 mt in 2017.
To regulate the steel scrap industry, the government has established a Steel Scrap Recycling Policy. In this article, we will get into the policy details and understand how it is beneficial to industry as well as human resources. Before that, let’s have a look at the current price scenario.
Price Scenario
Now that you know about environmental benefits, it goes without saying that recycling scrap offers economic benefits as well. Today, scrap rate in India ranges between Rs. 38-45 per kg. When it comes to mild steel rates, they are the lowest since it’s the cheapest to produce all thanks to its low carbon content.
Policy Objectives
The Steel Scrap Recycling Policy is put in place for the fulfilment of the objectives mentioned below:
- Safety First: Recyclable products are to be processed and recycled in a safe, organized, and environment-friendly way.
- Circular Economy: Promoting a circular economy in India’s steel sector.
- Environmentally Friendly: Promoting a scientific and formal approach for dismantling and processing end-of-life products that eventually end up being recyclable scraps. Aiming at energy savings, resource conservation, and an environmentally conscious scrap management system has to be set up.
- Self-Reliance: Produce top-notch ferrous scrap ensuring high-quality steel production so that import dependency can be as low as possible.
- Promoting 6Rs: The 6Rs principles are:
- Reduce
- Reuse
- Recycle
- Recover
- Redesign
- Remanufacture
By scientific handling, processing, and disposing of all variants of recyclable scraps at authorised centres/facilities, the 6Rs principle is not just promoted but is followed as well.
- Compliance: Complying with Hazardous & Other Wastes (Management & Transboundary Movement) Rules, 2016 issued by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, & creating a mechanism for treating residue & waste streams produced by dismantling and shredding facilities.
- Responsive Ecosystem: Involving relevant stakeholders, and establishing a responsive ecosystem.
- EVLs: Eradicating ELVs (end-of-life vehicles) from Indian cities and recycling the ferrous scrap.
Guidelines For Dismantling Centres
Here are the guidelines under the Steel Scrap Recycling Policy specifically for dismantling centres. The concerned staff must ensure the following:
- Safe Practices: To make sure that safe operating practices are being followed, the recycling centres/facilities must follow updated Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OHSAS) guidelines and employ trained and competent human resources for processing end-of-life goods and other scraps.
- Spacious: To accommodate the large scrap volumes, the dismantling centres/facilities should be established in a large space ensuring plenty of area for the movement of vehicles, and storage for received products/ recyclable material.
- Workplace Safety: The criteria of sufficient gated area to handle white goods and other scraps, depollute and dismantle ELVs, along with a centre or facility for measuring radiation must be fulfilled. For ELVs, material handling machines must be installed so that human intervention is as minimal as possible, ensuring a safer workplace for them.
All collection centres should have dry areas, there must be no water logging, the surfaces must have concrete flooring, there must be proper roads, for in-house maintenance workshop facilities should be there, fire protection systems must be installed and functioning properly etc. to maintain workplace safety.
- De-pollution System: The recycling facility must be well-equipped with a properly functioning de-pollution system, preferably with a zero-discharge system, for processing end-of-life goods and other scraps.
- Oil Disposal: The oil, antifreeze, fuel, and other fluids (if any) must be completely drained. The radiator, fuel tank, and other fluid-containing components should be removed at the facility premises. The accumulated oil/ fuel shall be disposed of only at authorised centres.
- Storage: The centres must be equipped with enough storage for batteries, PCB / PCT containing condensers, filters, tyres etc.
- Certificate Of Destruction: The scrap processing centre must issue a Certificate of Destruction as proof of scrappage to the owner. Records/ documents of the same must be maintained by the concerned teams and should be readily available to be scrutinized by the concerned authorities if need be.
- Data Bank: The centres must upload data related to white goods, scrapped vehicles, and other scrap on a digital platform.
Guidelines For Scrap Processing Centres
When it comes to scrap processing centres, the following must be ensured by the concerned workforce members:
- Radioactive Detection: The centres must have a properly functioning radioactive detection device.
- Technological Adoption: The centre must be equipped with the latest types of equipment and embrace the latest technology for the various processes such as shredding, baling, slitting, shearing etc.
- Segregation: The centre should have provisions for the storage of segregated scrap to cater to specific downstream industries.
- Government Compliance: The centre must have equipment capable of carrying out the functions defined (and reviewed from time to time) by the Ministry of Steel or the appointed agency by the ministry.
- Storage: The centre must be spacious enough to accommodate equipment, handling, and storage of segregated waste streams.
- Trained Resources: The centre must only onboard competent and trained human resources to carry out the day-to-day operational activities and manage the centre by following safety protocols as well as environment-related protocols.
- Disposal Management: The centre must make use of the best technology /disposal plans for safely processing scrap residue.
- Data Bank: The centres must upload data related to white goods, scrapped vehicles, and other scrap on a digital platform.
In The Nutshell
The scrapping policy is set up to ensure workplace safety, environment safety and high-quality scrap availability so that the steel industry can make the best use of it. Since scrap is an important input for electric furnaces, the quality of scrap impacts the quality of steel being produced in the furnace. The better the scrap is, the better-quality steel will be produced. The scrap containing zero impurities will result in better products. This, in turn, will result in better product, strength, durability and performance.
Additionally, high-quality scrap produced in India will end up with lesser dependence on imported scrap and will pave the way for self-sufficiency. Today, scrap rate in India encourages steelmakers to opt for scrap as a raw material more than ever.
