Outokumpu publishes EPD for its main stainless steel products

Outokumpu has reinforced its drive for sustainability by becoming the world’s first stainless steel manufacturer to publish environmental product declarations (EPDs) covering its portfolio of stainless steel grades.  These EPDs are independently verified by the Institut Bauen und Umwelt (IBU), a German association that is specialised in validating EPDs and tracking sustainability performance for construction materials. The declarations cover four product groups: cold rolled stainless steel, hot rolled stainless steel, long products and rebar.

The EPDs describe the main environmental effects – including carbon footprint – and energy needs of stainless steel grades throughout their supply chain. With the EDPs, Outokumpu’s customers can now calculate the sustainability performance of the stainless steel they are using over their own product’s life cycle. The use of EPDs is also rewarded in certain green building schemes in the construction industry.

Kari Tuutti, President, Outokumpu Business Area Long Products and Head of Group Sustainability said: “Outokumpu has a strong legacy in sustainability. The recycled content of our products is more than 85 percent and the CO2 emissions of our manufacturing operations are around five times lower than those of Asian competitors producing stainless steel. With these EPDs, we are raising the bar by providing quantitative and verified information on the environmental impact of our stainless steel.”

There is a strong need for sustainable and long-lasting solutions that use the world’s natural resources sparingly. Outokumpu responds to this need with stainless steel – a material with superior durability, longevity and recyclability. With the choice of the right steel grade, customers benefit from increased efficiency and profitability as well as maximizing the durability of an application and lowering its life cycle costs. Stainless steel is essential for numerous customer solutions that enable clean energy, water, transportation and industrial production.

Source and photo: Outokumpu Oyj