We strive to reduce waste within our operations by promoting reuse and recycling materials wherever feasible. We sort scrap and other waste fractions to facilitate recycling and preserve the value of these resources. The specific waste fractions sorted may vary between sites, depending on the local waste management infrastructure. However, at all sites, waste must be managed in accordance with EU's waste hierarchy, ensuring compliance with the highest standards of waste handling and environmental responsibility.
To reduce the amount of waste within our operations and managing it in alignment with the highest levels of the waste hierarchy we have set a new target on waste handling. By 2030, we will achieve a distribution of, what is currently handled as waste*, per step in the waste hierarchy see details to the right on this page (the amount of scrap steel from processes is not included in the distribution).
The target does not specify any total amounts of waste but rather focuses on how the generated waste is handled. It has been developed with the intention to move towards more reuse and recycling and less disposal. The reason for excluding the scrap steel from the target is because the other waste flows are getting smaller in relation to scrap steel and that this waste flow has a well-functioning recycling process where 100 % is recycled at all sites. There is therefore no reason to work further with that specific waste flow.
Lead waste as a resource
A new way to recycle lead waste from the hardening processes has been introduced in Garphyttan. The waste is treated and is then a resource that can be used as a substitute for virgin material rather than the waste having to be landfilled, as is the alternative. The waste now generates income for us instead of ending up in a landfill. A project has been ongoing for the past years with the aim of recycling lead from the waste generated during the hardening processes. In 2023, we received approval from the waste handler that material recycling was possible. The recycling rate of the lead waste using the new solution averages higher than 80 percent. This means that approximately 50 tons of lead can now be reintroduced to the market annually. This not only decreases the demand for new, virgin lead in the market but also reduces the amount of lead waste sent to landfills.