Where’s the scrap, asks BDSV

The use of scrap as a raw material in steel production significantly reduces greenhouse gas emissions and conserves finite resources, yet there are still no incentives for the additional use of ferrous scrap, according to the Federal Association of German Steel Recycling and Disposal Companies (BDSV) .

BDSV President Andreas Schwenter says, “Recycling steel scrap makes a significant contribution to improving the carbon footprint. This climate protection potential has so far not been recognized. We need more political support and hope that we will be heard here.”

Schwenter was speaking with a member of the Bundestag, Germany’s legislature when he made that comment in late August. He and other members of BDSV met with Dieter Janecek, a member of the Green party and a member of the committees for economy and energy in the Bundestag.

Also part of the discussion were BDSV General Manager Thomas Junker and Karl-David Schlehenkamp and Ursula Althoff, both members of the management team at Munich recycling firm ALFA Recycling. The conversation focused on the CO₂ savings potential of scrap recycling, plus the potential for “subsidies and investment protection to strengthen the circular economy in Germany as well as securing the raw material supply and competitiveness of Germany through steel scrap recycling.”

Schwenter added, “Climate protection is made out of scrap. One ton of steel scrap saves emissions of 1.67 tons, and stainless steel scrap even 4.3 tons of CO₂. Our industry has long been offering high-quality recycled steel as a real resource and climate-friendly alternative. If we really want to operate in a climate-neutral way, we need a legally stipulated minimum use quota of steel scrap in steel production, investments in future technologies of the circular economy and tax incentives for companies to increasingly use secondary raw materials. A first step in the right direction would be to introduce simplified and accelerated approval procedures for steel recycling companies.”

BDSV says the ALFA Recycling facility, which it describes as one of the largest scrap yards in southern Germany, provides “a clear framework for the conversation.” After processing, scrap is shipped to industrial sites throughout Europe.

Schlehenkamp and Althoff also urged upgrades to Germany’s freight rail network. “The main sales market for Bavarian scrap is northern Italy,” they commented. “This means that we can achieve positive effects for the climate balance of Germany and Europe, which are also economically viable, in particular through rapid further expansion of the rail network, because scrap belongs on the rails, not on the road.”