Environmental Product Declaration published for “Pure Steel+ Rail” products
As the only supplier in Europe to offer low-CO2 rails produced with an electric arc furnace (EAF) route, Saarstahl Rail has conducted a complete life cycle assessment as part of an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD). In August, the subsidiary of Saarstahl AG published the first EPD for its rail products „Pure Steel+ Rail“ with details of the environmental impacts of production. Compared to production using the blast furnace route, around 70% of carbon emissions can be saved. This underlines Saarstahl Rail’s pioneering role in the mobility sector.
„Pure Steel+ Rail“ are high-quality rail products manufactured at Saarstahl Rail’s hot rolling mill in Hayange, France, using EAF-based input material from Saarstahl Ascoval in St. Saulve, France. Since mid-2021 they complete the product portfolio of Saarstahl AG.
An EPD presents all relevant environmental impacts transparently and provides clear information about the environmental impact of the product. From the extraction of raw materials to the factory gate of Saarstahl Rail (cradle-to-gate), the entire life cycle is considered. For example, the extensive quantitative product information in the declarations includes statements on the use of energy and resources, the amount of waste generated and emissions data. Information on waste disposal and recycling management is also provided. In this way, a distinction is made as to whether a product can be disposed of at the end of its life cycle or returned to the production cycle. Saarstahl Rail’s products can be recycled multiple times without any loss of quality and therefore make a significant contribution to resource efficiency.
Matthias Dilschneider from the Environmental Protection department at Saarstahl AG explains: “The EPD for Pure Steel+ Rail spells out the environmental sustainability of our rail products from secondary steel production in the electric arc furnace at Saarstahl Ascoval. Over the entire life cycle, reductions of carbon emissions of around 70% are therefore possible in comparison with the industry average. We are contributing decisively here to carbon reduction in the mobility sector.”
The EPD is available to the public from the website of “Institut Bauen und Umwelt e.V.” (Institute for Construction and Environment).