Ternium Reuses 94% of Water in Steel Plants
Strategic Research Institute
Published on :
14 Nov, 2022, 4:45 am
Leading Latin American steelmaker Ternium is implementing 3 strategies i to ensure its responsible use in of water in various plants. Each country where Ternium operates has its own guidelines for the availability of surface and groundwater, as well as for its extraction. Therefore, when designing each plant, the best water management strategies are sought according to the situation of the supply of this resource at the site of operations.
According to the 2021 Sustainability Report, of the total water extracted by the company, approximately 94% is cleaned, cooled and returned to the source as treated water, which translates into low consumption. This water is residual which means that it comes from any activity where, by its use, they contain organic matter or chemical substances that alter their original quality. These are some of the strategies for water care that have been implemented to reduce the environmental impact and support the communities where the plants are located. In all plants, wastewater discharge is permanently monitored to improve quality and reduce water discharges, using state-of-the-art technology and increasingly efficient systems.
In Mexico, Ternium's steel production facilities are located in water-stressed zones, according to the World Resource Institute's Water Risk Atlas. To minimize its use, in 2021 it was possible to reduce the intensity of water extraction to 3.2 cubic meters per ton of steel produced. Using treated water from third parties, mainly wastewater, which is processed in treatment plants to improve its condition and then used at different stages of the production process. In the same year, the share of third-party treated water in Mexican steel mills was 46%. In addition, wastewater is used in the Pesquería plant to cover 96% of the needs of this resource.
In Argentina, the water treatment plant system that separates particles derived from cleaning process gases from the basic oxygen furnace at the San Nicolás plant was upgraded to extract higher quality sediment in the initial stages and achieve greater efficiency. Sediments derived from wastewater treatment, which at first glance look like waste, actually serve two purposes: they are used in the sintering process and sold to the cement industry.
On the other hand, at the plant in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, the effluent treatment and control system has been strengthened through the implementation of a continuous direct measurement system and improving the reuse of treated water.
In Colombia, in February 2021, an industrial center was inaugurated in Palmar de Varela, designed with a 100% closed water circuit: water collection only has replacement purposes, due to evaporation, and is obtained from third parties.
Ternium is a manufacturer of flat and long steel products with production centers in Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Guatemala, Colombia, and the United States. It is the leading steel company in Latin America with highly integrated processes to manufacture steel and value-added products.