- The new European project ECO-STEEL will develop solid-state recycling and twin-roll strip casting technologies to transform stainless steel scrap into high-value products.
- These lower-temperature processes could achieve up to 86% energy savings and 84% CO₂ reductions compared to conventional Electric Arc Furnace-based methods.
The steel industry is responsible for a significant share of global greenhouse gas emissions, making the decarbonisation of steel production one of the most pressing challenges facing heavy industry today.
The newly launched ECO-STEEL (Eco-Friendly Stainless Steel Production from Recycled Scrap) project seeks to address this challenge by developing new, lower-temperature recycling technologies to transform ferritic stainless steel scrap into high-quality products.
Such methods could lead to reductions in energy consumption CO₂ emissions of approximately 85% compared with conventional electric arc furnace-based recycling routes.
To achieve these ambitious goals, ECO-STEEL will pioneer two innovative processing routes: solid-state consolidation without melting and twin-roll strip casting.
Together, these approaches have the potential to fundamentally change how stainless steel is recycled, moving away from conventional processing temperatures exceeding 1.600°C towards lower-temperature manufacturing routes operating between 700°C and 1.100°C.
“The main goal of the ECO-STEEL project is to develop novel sustainable processes for recycling stainless steel scrap and to transform it into high-quality products,” said Dr. Ilchat Sabirov, Principal Researcher at IMDEA Materials Institute and ECO-STEEL Project.
Conventional stainless steel recycling relies heavily on energy-intensive melting operations, creating substantial carbon emissions and operational costs. ECO-STEEL seeks to overcome these limitations through technologies that either minimise or eliminate remelting altogether.
The project’s most radical innovation is the development of solid-state recycling routes, which directly convert scrap into new products through technologies such as roll bonding and Conform extrusion without passing through a liquid phase.
“The steel business is contributing roughly 7% of the CO₂ equivalent for the entire planet,” said Prof. Junhe Lian from RWTH Aachen University, one of five project partners alongside IMDEA Materials, COMTES FHT, the University of Oulu and industrial partner Outokumpu.
“So, we must do something to improve this. We see an opportunity here where we can cut current steelmaking emissions by 80 to 85%, while also achieving similar energy savings.”
By eliminating the melting phase, the solid-state route offers unprecedented opportunities to reduce energy demand and carbon emissions while supporting a more circular use of materials.
Alongside solid-state processing, the project will also investigate twin-roll strip casting (TRSC), a near-net-shape manufacturing process that combines casting and rolling into a single operation. By avoiding several intermediate processing and reheating steps, TRSC can reduce energy consumption by an estimated 70-90% compared with conventional production routes.
By demonstrating the technical feasibility of low-temperature recycling routes, ECO-STEEL aims to support European efforts to decarbonise one of the world’s most important industrial sectors while maintaining competitiveness and material performance.
Specifically, the project will focus on recycling ferritic stainless steel scrap into sheets and rods for applications including domestic appliances, kitchen equipment, architectural components and exhaust systems.
The consortium will also conduct comprehensive microstructural characterisation and develop advanced simulation tools capable of predicting bonding quality, microstructure evolution and optimal processing windows.
“For me, it’s very important that whatever we produce also has the right kind of properties and microstructures,” said Prof. Mahesh Somani of the University of Oulu. “By implementing these new techniques, we will not only be developing new novel processes but also changing completely the course of production industries.”
The project builds upon existing expertise in metal recycling among project partners, while addressing the unique challenges presented by stainless steels.
“We have been involved in a previous project related to aluminium and titanium recycling,” said Michal Duchek of Czech research institute COMTES FHT. “However, If I compare these metals to stainless steels, stainless steels absolutely have higher mechanical properties. So, you have to design all new processes for it.”
Beyond reducing emissions within manufacturing plants, ECO-STEEL is expected to support the creation of localised, closed-loop recycling systems that minimise waste, transportation requirements and reliance on primary raw materials.
The project aligns closely with the objectives of the European Green Deal, the Clean Steel Partnership and broader EU ambitions for climate-neutral manufacturing and resource sovereignty.
“Traditionally steel is being made from fossil sources, and a lot of emissions are generated,” explained Outokumpu’s Dr. Severi Anttila. “If we are able to provide an alternative to that traditional manufacturing, then of course this is something that we are very happy to promote those products and those types of steels.”
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Research Fund for Coal and Steel (RFCS) under grant agreement No 101296200. Views and opinions expressed are, however, those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or RFCS. Neither the European Union nor the RFCS can be held responsible for them.