The shift to electric arc furnace steelmaking will ultimately reduce Algoma’s carbon footprint by approximately 70%, positioning the steel company as one of the leading producers of green steel in North America. North.
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Creating the “greenest” steel products and doing so with results such as less noise and waste and cleaner water and air is the goal that will help Algoma reduce its environmental footprint through its modernization.
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Algoma Steel held an annual environmental open house on Monday to share its environmental management programs and focus on the changes that will occur as the steelmaker evolves into steelmaking processes at the same time. electric arc in the years to come. A notice of the event was distributed to every household in Sault Ste. Marie and Prince Township.
The shift to electric arc furnace steelmaking will ultimately reduce Algoma’s carbon footprint by approximately 70%, positioning the steel company as one of the leading producers of green steel in North America. North.
In the end, this project is presented as the largest greenhouse gas reduction in Canada. This will also result in reduced emissions from fewer sources to air and will have fewer effluent discharges to water.
The transition requires new and amended or revised environmental permits from the Department of the Environment, said Fred Post, Algoma’s director of environmental monitoring.
“This requires changes to our waste water approval, a new air and noise permit, and new and amended site-specific standards that will allow us to transition to new electric arc furnace production,” Post told the SaultStar.
Revised site-specific standards are required for benzo(a)pyrene, benzene and particulates. In 2021, the Minister requested changes to the air emissions model and although Algoma’s emissions did not change, the emissions modeling method did.
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A new site-specific standard is also required for sulfur dioxide, as Algoma does not anticipate being able to meet the new provincial standards that will come into effect in July 2023, but anticipates that these standards will be met when transitioning to manufacturing sulfur dioxide. electric arc steel.
The permitting process is a thorough application process that begins with air emissions modeling that demonstrates compliance with the regulations.
The open house was part of the public consultation process required as part of the permitting process.
Post said it was expected the process could take up to a year and a half to receive the permits, which must be in place before the transition in the steelmaking process takes place.
Algoma expects to meet the necessary criteria to obtain these permits without any problems, Post said.
“Essentially, we are working with the government to make sure we meet all the requirements they have set and if there is an issue that we face, we will find a solution through this process,” a- he declared.
“At the end of the day, this project has a huge reduction in greenhouse gases and a large number of contaminants, so it’s environmentally positive and unlikely to have any major setbacks from an environmental perspective. permits,” he said.
Brenda Stenta, Algoma’s Director of Communications, said the project is new and exciting for the community and a strong turnout at the North Community Center meeting room was expected.
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She explained that as the transformation evolves, Algoma will meet and exceed all government emission levels in all facets of its operation.
Lower costs, increased competition, increased liquid capacity limits to 3.7 million tonnes and reduced carbon tax costs are all among the benefits of modernizing the manufacturing process of steel, Stenta said.
“We know the market is going in this direction. Our customers are looking for low carbon products and this will enable us to provide these products to them,” she said.
Construction of the new buildings needed for the process is now in its early stages and the transition is expected to begin in April 2024. The phased process will see the increase in electric arc furnace steel as the coking processes decrease and eventually to cease.
Mayor Christian Provenzano said he is staying in touch with the Algoma executive and understands the modernization process and the impact it will have on greenhouse gas emissions.
“I think this is a really important project, not only for Algoma Steel and its long-term sustainability, but also for the health of our community and the environment,” Provenzano said.
He said there are encouraging targets and foresees significant reductions in output once the switch to the new technology begins.
Provenzano said it’s important for the community to be informed of the changes and he encourages people to do so.
“I’m encouraged by this project,” he says. “Making steel as we have done for 100 years has a heavy impact on the environment. Things are very different today than they were 100 years ago and I think this project signifies a major change for this company. It also means that the company understands the importance of changing its processes and becoming more sustainable and I think it achieves both.
The open house is not the only opportunity for the public to comment on the project. Hard copies of the comment sheet were available at the open house and other comments can be emailed to Algoma Steel or can post comments on the Environmental Registry once the project is posted, Stenta said.
Information is available on the Algoma Steel website.
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