ENVIRONMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY HEADLINESEnvironment and Sustainability
ArcelorMittal Piracicaba Develops Sustainable Brick in Brazil
Sep. 2, 2009 ArcelorMittal Piracicaba, in partnership with the University of the State of São Paulo - São Carlos unit, has developed a new technology to produce more environmentally friendly construction bricks. Replacing the traditional mix of sand and crushed rock, the bricks are produced using steel mill slag, a steelmaking byproduct traditionally considered waste.
The new bricks reduce the need for natural resources that have to be extracted from the local environment.
ArcelorMittal says that part of its eco-commitment is to find innovative ways to manage residues, turning them into something of value. The new brick-making technology reduces the amount of waste the company produces and results in a cost savings since ArcelorMittal does not need to create landfills.
The technology was proven by constructing an experimental model-house using bricks created from slag. The house was finished last July and the environmental viability of these bricks is currently being assessed by the São Paulo State Organ for Environmental Sanitation.
This is the second such initiative by ArcelorMittal Piracicaba: Steelmaking slag already has been tested by the Institute for Road Research, which belongs to the Brazilian Department of Infrastructure and Transport, as raw material to be used in asphalt paving.