Waste reduction/recycling

Our group manufactures products that use steel scrap generated in the consumption and production activities of society as raw materials. Through this business model, we play a role in the production activities of society's recycling system. At the same time, we are working to reuse resources by building our own recycling system in the production flow.

Some of steel scrap generated in production activities is directly reused in-house as raw materials for electric furnace steelmaking. We are also working to recycle other types of waste to reduce the amount of final disposal. In addition, oxidized slag generated in the steelmaking process is reused as civil engineering materials and concrete aggregate materials.

In fiscal 2022, the total amount of industrial waste generated by our group was 276,000 tons, with a final disposal amount of 30,000 tons.

We will continue to promote the expansion and improvement of the 3Rs (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle), and strive to recycle waste and reduce the amount of final disposal.

The Group promotes the effective use of resources by recycling electric furnace slag, and sells recycled products equivalent to the amount of electric furnace slag generated.

At Toyohashi Plant, by introducing slag cooling equipment and crushing equipment, the oxidized slag generated during electric furnace refining and the reduced slag generated during the secondary refining process and discharged from the ladle after continuous casting are completely separated, treated and processed. In April 2013, we established a system to process and recycle slag, and in April 2013 we acquired certification for "JIS A 5011-4: Slag aggregate for concrete - Part 4: electric furnace oxidized slag aggregate".

After that, in December 2013, we also acquired "revised JIS A 5011-4" certification, and have expanded the production and sales of electric furnace oxidized slag aggregate for concrete.

electric furnace oxidized slag aggregate has a higher specific gravity than natural aggregates such as natural sand and gravel that have been used as aggregates for concrete in the past, and is used as aggregate for heavy concrete such as wave-dissipating blocks. In addition, by promoting the use of electric arc furnace oxidizing slag for concrete, it is possible to reduce the impact on the natural environment and energy consumption associated with mining natural aggregates.

electric furnace slag for recycled road-bed material (product name: ECO Stone™) is a recycled roadbed material made by crushing, sieving, and mixing oxidized slag and reduced slag. On August 31, 2014, ECO Stone™ was certified by the Aichi Prefecture Recycled Materials Evaluation System (nicknamed Aikuru), which began in 2002 in Aichi Prefecture. And it was recognized as an "Aikuru material" that satisfies the safety for the environment (certification number: 2)-201).

Both the elution amount and the content of harmful substances in ECO Stone™ are well below the environmental standard values, so it can be used safely from an environmental point of view.