A local environmental group is urging Region steel mills to invest in new green technology and stop burning coke, a purified form of coal, in their blast furnaces.
The Gary Advocates for Responsible Development recently released a report on the sustainability of Northwest Indiana's steel mills. "The Green Steel Transition, and the Future of Steelmaking in Northwest Indiana" study concluded Region steel mills would have to reduce their carbon footprint to remain viable in the long term as the world starts to shift to greener steel production.
The study looked at U.S. Steel's Gary Works, Cleveland-Cliffs Indiana Harbor Works and Cleveland-Cliffs Burns Harbor Works, which collectively produce 17% of the nation's steel. The study concluded that Region blast furnaces could potentially see only one last reline for one final campaign given the steelmakers' pledges to get to zero emissions by 2050, and that blast furnaces are one of the largest sources of carbon emissions.
Both Cleveland-Cliffs and U.S. Steel have been investing in alternatives to traditional integrated mills and both already have touted reductions in their carbon footprints while idling facilities, such as Blast Furnace #4 at Indiana Harbor West in East Chicago.
"There's a high risk that Gary Works and the other two steel mills could be forced to close," GARD President Carolyn McGrady said. "But that doesn't have to happen. We have the technology to make steel that doesn't require fossil fuels and reduces pollution."
About 47 integrated steel mills made pig iron with blast furnaces in 1975. That number is down to just seven today amid increased foreign competition and the rise of mini mills.
The latest technological change in the industry is a push for greener steel to satisfy environmental regulations and consumer demand. Steelworkers worldwide are under increased regulatory pressure to cut carbon emissions and major customers like automakers are looking to satisfy consumer demand with greener products.
"If they don't invest in green technology, they will become obsolete," McGrady said. "But if they go green, we can still have the jobs and create new jobs by retrofitting existing mills with green technology. It can contribute to saving the planet."
McGrady encourage residents to contact the companies and elected officials about encouraging investment in green technology.
"Blast furnaces are going to be obsolete," she said. "Our communities can be cleaner and better and don't have to suffer in order to have jobs. Many of the jobs disappeared but they can rebuild the workforce with green technology. They can retrain, retrofit and rebuilding. This could be the most exciting new thing in a long time. We can have a city with a healthy workforce with new technology that isn't over-polluted with higher rates of cancer and respiratory disease."
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