EAFD is a substance classified as hazardous waste material and therefore subject to rigorous handling requirements and certification procedures. Steel companies generally have two options available to them to treat EAFD. The first option is to landfill the dust, which can easily cost upwards of $60 per tonne for dust producers in North America.
The second is to pay recyclers $50 per tonne or more (a service or “tipping” fee) to collect the EAFD. Steel producers therefore currently expend substantial financial resources to dispose of valuable waste material. EAFD is toxic and hazardous. Additionally, pyrometallurgy generates significant air pollution by vaporizing the elements at high temperatures, which results in damage to the environment, challenges in permitting and creates commercial interests opposed to environmental standards.
ZnCore simply views such environmental degradation as a direct consequence of inefficiencies.
ZnCore plants produce no toxic effluents (no tailings*), no toxic atmospheric emissions (no smoke stack) and operate on a low-carbon footprint.
High recovery rates (> 95%) of the elements contained in the dust also prevent waste and pollution. Dust is effectively recycled into commodities and usable materials. In this manner, ZnCore bridges the gap between environmental and economic considerations, making commercial enterprise desirable and beneficial for all stakeholders.