Newsletter

SymbioSteel Newsletter No 3, 2025

We are excited to share our latest SymbioSteel Newsletter No.3. In this edition, we present the progress of the evaluation on industrial symbiosis (IS) initiatives correlated to the steel sector, by defining and tracking key performance indicators (KPIs). The KPIs measure progress in areas such as emission reduction, resource substitution, waste minimization, and by-product utilization.

The research is based on data from 50 European and nationally funded projects, with 19 of them showing a good example of IS implementation with the necessary data for KPI evaluation.

These projects encompass a wide range of processes, including coke making, iron ore sintering, blast furnace (BF) and basic oxygen furnace (BOF) operations, electric arc and ladle furnaces (EAF and LF), slag valorization, the use of plastics and biomass-derived carbon materials such as charcoal and biochar, as well as CO2 utilization solutions.

With KPIs, this work enables evidence-based comparison of IS initiatives, provides a framework for tracking progress toward sustainability goals in steelmaking and related industries, and helps to prioritize innovation pathways.

SymbioSteel Newsletter No 2, 2025

The SymbioSteel project, funded by the EU Research Fund for Coal and Steel (RFCS), has reached its halfway point. 

In this newsletter, you can read about the project's focus over the past six months. Key activities include building a foundation for collaboration and knowledge-sharing in industrial symbiosis within the steel sector, launching the project website, and presenting initial results at events such as the Slag Workshop and Swerim’s Resource and Recycling Day. A sector-wide survey on industrial symbiosis has also been launched. 

Upcoming activities include a presentation at ESTAD 2025, where recent findings and future opportunities will be discussed.