Circular Economy in the steel sector: future trends and challenges in Brazil

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.37497/esg.v7iesg.1621

Keywords:

Circular economy, Steel in Brazil, Carbon market, Global sustainability

Abstract

Purpose: Examine the role of the circular economy in the steel sector, highlighting trends and challenges faced in its transition to a more sustainable practices.

Methodology/approach: This research is centered on a qualitative analysis of the steel production chain in Brazil. Information was gathered using in-depth interviews and was examined through an abductive approach involving purposive sampling.

Originality/relevance: This study highlights the main trends, examines the challenges, and outlines the best practices within the Brazilian industry steel sector, framed within the context of the circular economy.

Key findings: The results show that Brazil is aligned with global sustainability and circularity trends in the steel industry, albeit with particular challenges.

Theoretical/methodological contributions: The findings of this investigation are intended to establish a basis for mapping out the trends in Brazil's steel industry by 2035.

Author Biographies

Solange Akiama , Universidade de São Paulo (USP), São Paulo

She holds a Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering from the University of São Paulo (1990). He has experience in the field of Administration, with an emphasis on Business Administration.

Renata Giovinazzo Spers, Universidade de São Paulo (USP), São Paulo

She earned her Ph.D. in Administration from the University of São Paulo in 2003 and 2007. She completed internships at the University of Cambridge and Howard University and conducted post-doctoral research at Vanderbilt University with FAPESP support. Holding an Associate Professorship from FEA-USP, she leads the Future Studies Program at FEA-USP. She edits the Future Studies Research Journal and has led research projects funded by FAPESP and CNPq. Specializing in Strategy and Future Studies, she focuses on strategic management, trend forecasting, innovation, and executive education. She directs PROFUTURO at FIA Business School and is a certified Personal and Professional Coach.

References

ABCM. (2024). Roadmap Brasil da construção modular. https://bit.ly/3W9hduL

Allwood, J. M., Cullen, J. M., & Milford, R. L. (2010). Options for achieving a 50% cut in industrial carbon emissions by 2050. Environmental Science & Technology, 44(6), 1888-1894. https://doi.org/10.1021/es902909k

Andrade, M. L. A. D., Cunha, L. M. D. S., & Gandra, G. T. (2000). A ascensão das mini-mills no cenário siderúrgico mundial. BNDES.

Bataille, C., Stiebert, S., Hebeda, O., Trollip, H., McCall, B., & Vishwanathan, S. S. (2023). Towards net-zero emissions concrete and steel in India, Brazil and South Africa. Climate Policy, 1-16. https://doi.org/10.1080/14693062.2023.2187750

Bocken, N. M. P., Pauw, I., Bakker, C., & Van der Grinten, B. (2016). Product design and business model strategies for a circular economy. Journal of Industrial and Production Engineering, 33(5), 308-320. https://doi.org/10.1080/21681015.2016.1172124

Branca, T. A., Colla, V., Algermissen, D., Granbom, H., Martini, U., Morillon, A. . . ., & Rosendahl, S. (2020). Reuse and recycling of by-products in the steel sector: Recent achievements paving the way to circular economy and industrial symbiosis in Europe. Metals, 10(3). https://doi.org/10.3390/met10030345

Carmignano, O. R., Vieira, S. S., Teixeira, A. P. C., Lameiras, F. S., Brandão, P. R. G., & Lago, R., M. (2021). Iron ore tailings: Characterization and applications. Journal of the Brazilian Chemical Society, 32(10), 1895-1911. https://doi.org/10.21577/0103-5053.20210100

Carvalho, D. (2024, 30 de Janeiro). What’s next for green steelmaking technologies? Woodmackenzie. https://bit.ly/4d8MfJ4

Cavaliere, P. (2019). Clean ironmaking and steelmaking processes: Efficient technologies for greenhouse emissions abatement. Springer.

Cocchieri, T. (2008). Criatividade em uma perspectiva estético-cognitiva (Dissertação de Mestrado). Universidade Estadual Paulista “Júlio de Mesquita Filho”, Marília, SP.

Comissão Europeia. (2015). Fechar o ciclo-plano de ação da UE para a economia circular. Official Journal of the European Union, 24.

Corley, K. G., & Gioia, D. A. (2011). Building theory about theory building: What constitutes a theoretical contribution? Academy of Management Review, 36(1), 12-32.

Dragt, E. (2017). How to research trends: Move beyond trend watching to kickstart innovation. Laurence King Publishing.

Fărcean, I., Proştean, G., & Socalici, A. (2023). Sustainable development indicators in the steel industry. Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 2540(1). https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/2540/1/012045

Graedel, T. E., Reck, B. K., Ciacci, L., & Passarini, F. (2019). On the spatial dimension of the circular economy. Resources, 8(1). https://doi.org/10.3390/resources8010032

Haas, W., Krausmann, F., Wiedenhofer, D., & Heinz, M. (2015). How circular is the global economy?: An assessment of material flows, waste production, and recycling in the European Union and the world in 2005. Journal of Industrial Ecology, 19(5), 765-777. https://doi.org/10.1111/jiec.12244

Hoon, C., & Baluch, A. M. (2020). The role of dialectical interrogation in review studies: Theorizing from what we see rather than what we have already seen. Journal of Management Studies, 57(6), 1246-1271. https://doi.org/10.1111/joms.12543

IEA. (2020). Iron and steel technology roadmap. https://bit.ly/446QWz8

Instituto Aço Brasil. (2023). Aço & sustentabilidade 2023. https://bit.ly/3xICj99

IRENA. (2023). Towards a circular steel industry. https://bit.ly/3U6uRMr

Javaid, A., & Essadiqi, E. (2003). Final report on scrap management, sorting and classification of steel. Natural Resources Canada, 23, 1-22. http://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.29333.12003

Li, X., Chertow, M., Guo, S., Johnson, E., & Jiang, D. (2020). Estimating non-hazardous industrial waste generation by sector, location, and year in the United States: A methodological framework and case example of spent foundry sand. Waste Management, 118, 563-572. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2020.08.056

Lopez, G., Farfan, J., & Breyer, C. (2022). Trends in the global steel industry: Evolutionary projections and defossilisation pathways through power-to-steel. Journal of Cleaner Production, 375. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2022.134182

MacArthur, E., & Heading, H. (2019). How the circular economy tackles climate change. Ellen MacArthur Found, 1, 1-71.

McNulty, T., Zattoni, A., & Douglas, T. (2013). Developing corporate governance research through qualitative methods: A review of previous studies. Corporate Governance: An International Review, 21(2), 183-198. https://doi.org/10.1111/corg.12006

Morseletto, P. (2020). Targets for a circular economy. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 153. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2019.104553

Munaro, M. R., Tavares, S. F., & Bragança, L. (2020). Towards circular and more sustainable buildings: A systematic literature review on the circular economy in the built environment. Journal of Cleaner Production, 260. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.121134

Nogueira, I. M, & Madureira, M. T. (2022). A indústria siderúrgica no Brasil. Research, Society and Development, 11(16). https://doi.org/10.33448/rsd-v11i16.38241

Pauliuk, S., Wang, T., & Müller, D. B. (2012). Moving toward the circular economy: The role of stocks in the Chinese steel cycle. Environmental Science & Technology, 46(1), 148-154. https://doi.org/10.1021/es201904c

Rech, S. R. (2016). A qualitative research on trends studies. Artigo apresentado no III International Fashion and Design Congress, Buenos Aires.

Rech, S. R., & Maciel, D. M. H. (2015). A proposal for prospective method based on grounded theory. Artigo apresentado na XI International European Academy of Design Conference.

Reck, B. K., Müller, D. B., Rostkowski, K., & Graedel, T. E. (2008). Anthropogenic nickel cycle: Insights into use, trade, and recycling. Environmental Science & Technology, 42(9), 3394-3400. https://doi.org/10.1021/es072108l

Reck, B. K., & Graedel, T. E. (2012). Challenges in metal recycling. Science, 337(6095), 690-695. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1217501

Spaulding, S. A., Irvin, L. K., Horner, R. H., May, S. L., Emeldi, M., Tobin, T. J., & Sugai, G. (2010). Schoolwide social-behavioral climate, student problem behavior, and related administrative decisions: Empirical patterns from 1,510 schools nationwide. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 12(2), 69-85. https://doi.org/10.1177/1098300708329011

Thomas, J. S., & Birat, J. P. (2013). Methodologies to measure the sustainability of materials: Focus on recycling aspects. Revue de Metallurgie. Cahiers D’Informations Techniques, 110(1), 3-16. https://doi.org/10.1051/metal/2013054

Wang, P., Ryberg, M., Yang, Y., Feng, K., Kara, S., Hauschild, M., & Chen, W. Q. (2021). Efficiency stagnation in global steel production urges joint supply-and demand-side mitigation efforts. Nature Communications, 12(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-22245-6

WSA. (2021). Climate change and the production of iron and steel. https://bit.ly/4b6k4sD

WSA. (2023a). Circular economy/steel: The permanent material in the circular economy. https://worldsteel.org/circular-economy/

WSA. (2023b). Sustainability indicators 2023 report. https://bit.ly/3QaJMEj

WSA. (2023c). World Steel in Figures 2023. https://bit.ly/4b3aWEX

Xiao, Y., Ma, D., Zhang, F., Zhao, N., Wang, L., Guo, Z., ... & Xiao, Y. (2023). Spatiotemporal differentiation of carbon emission efficiency and influencing factors: From the perspective of 136 countries. Science of the Total Environment, 879. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.163032

Yuan, S., Zhang, Q., Yin, H., & Li, Y. (2021). Efficient iron recovery from iron tailings using advanced suspension reduction technology: A study of reaction kinetics, phase transformation, and structure evolution. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 404. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2020.124067

Downloads

Published

2024-07-01

How to Cite

AKIAMA , Solange; SPERS, Renata Giovinazzo. Circular Economy in the steel sector: future trends and challenges in Brazil . ESG Studies Review, São Paulo (SP), v. 7, n. esg, p. e01621, 2024. DOI: 10.37497/esg.v7iesg.1621. Disponível em: https://esglawreview.org/convergencias/article/view/1621. Acesso em: 7 sep. 2024.

Similar Articles

1 2 3 > >> 

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.