Global Recycling Day: Advancing Circular Steel in MOWSES

On 18 March, Global Recycling Day draws attention to the essential role of recycling in building a more sustainable and resource efficient future. For the MOWSES project, recycling is central. The project is built around the ambition to enable the safe and reliable use of higher recycled content in welded structural steel plates for demanding applications in Europe.

Steel is one of the most recycled materials worldwide. It can be remelted and reused without losing its fundamental mechanical properties. Increasing the use of recycled steel reduces the need for primary raw materials such as iron ore and coal, lowers energy consumption and contributes significantly to reducing carbon emissions. At the same time, steel remains indispensable for infrastructure, transport, energy systems and industrial equipment. This combination of recyclability and performance makes steel a key material in the transition towards a circular economy.

The recycling process is technically advanced and carefully controlled. Steel from end of life buildings, vehicles and machinery is collected and sorted. Modern processing technologies separate different scrap types and remove unwanted materials. The scrap is then melted, most commonly in an electric arc furnace. During this stage, the chemical composition is adjusted to meet the requirements of specific steel grades. The molten steel is cast and rolled into new products, including structural plates that can be used in highly demanding applications.

In principle, steel can be produced entirely from recycled material. Many products already contain a high proportion of scrap. However, when it comes to high strength structural steels used in critical infrastructure, strict requirements apply with respect to strength, toughness and weldability. Scrap streams may contain residual elements such as copper or tin that are difficult to remove during melting. If these elements accumulate, they can influence ductility, fracture behaviour and performance in the weld zone. For safety critical structures, such effects must be thoroughly understood and controlled.

This challenge is at the heart of MOWSES. The project investigates welded structural green steel plates across different strength levels and examines how increased recycled content influences microstructure, weldability and fracture mechanisms. Through advanced material characterisation, welding trials, thermomechanical simulation and mechanical testing, the consortium generates the scientific knowledge needed to assess and optimise performance.

On Global Recycling Day, MOWSES highlights that increasing recycled content in steel is not only a question of environmental ambition, but also of structural reliability. By ensuring that circularity goes hand in hand with safety and performance, the project contributes to a future in which greener steel can be confidently used in Europe’s most demanding applications.

If you want to know more about the process of recycling scrap, watch the explanatory video here: https://youtu.be/8zchYv6_NdM

Images: Courtesy of ArcelorMittal Ghent