The zinc containing filter dusts, formed during steel production are still a disturbing expense factor for steel mills. A lot of developments that should realise an economical and ecological recycling were not successful and today only carbothermal reduction is dominating. But also the processes based on this technology have to deal with a lot of different problems and as we can see from the history, especially in central Europe companies had to stop their dust recycling because of bad economy in the last years. On the other side landfilling with or without inertisation becomes again more and more interesting. Even classification and treatment of these dusts is regulated by the European Community, there are various additional, national restrictions depending on the particular country. Thus the premises for recycling and dumping are completely differing within Europe and this effects the economy of developed process routes. Especially the eastern part of Europe outside the European community has still no regulations how to proceed with such residues. Will they be able to treat huge amounts of their dusts in a way it is done in central Europe? Maybe there is the necessity to develop a complete new process route for the dust recycling, or will the inertisation and dumping of high zinc containing dusts be the only option for the future?
展开▼
