Back

Data shows that when #SouthKorea’s 3 integrated BF-BOF #steel plants are operating simultaneously, emissions can cause annual average near-surface concentration of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) to increase by up to 1.5 μg/m3, sulfur dioxide (SO2) by 1.22 μg/m3 & PM2.5 by 0.4 μg/m3.

The economic cost of increased health spending and loss of productive work hours due to exposure to #AirPollution from the three BF-BOF #steel plants in #SouthKorea is estimated at KRW 3.4 tn (USD 2.95 bn) in 2021.

Under #SouthKorea’s current policy scenario & without additional emission control interventions, #pollution from BF-BOF route #steel production will result in 19,400 cumulative premature deaths from 2022 to 2050 with an economic burden estimated at KRW 127 tn (USD 111 bn).

Approximately 75% of the health impacts of BF-BOF pollution are borne within #SouthKorea. Yet #AirPollution transmission from the #steel plants could impact the air quality and health in neighboring countries as well.

Analysis shows that implementation of #SouthKorea’s 2050 carbon neutrality roadmap (NZ2050) would avoid 9,300 cumulative premature deaths from integrated BF-BOF #steel plants.

Improving #steel consumption, production efficiency & utilizing hydrogen in addition to #SouthKorea's proposed NZ2050 efforts would avoid an additional 500 premature deaths.

Improving #steel consumption, production efficiency & utilizing hydrogen in addition to #SouthKorea's proposed NZ2050 efforts would yield the highest savings, decreasing economic costs of air pollution from BF-BOF steel plants to approx. KRW 63 tn (USD 55 bn) from 2022 to 2050

Solutions for Our Climate (SFOC) and CREA have released their report assessing the air quality and health impacts of BF-BOF #steel facilities in #SouthKorea.

The full report is available from CREA in English & SFOC in Korean.

https://energyandcleanair.org/publication/unveiling-the-truth-behind-blast-furnace-pollution/

https://forourclimate.org/en/sub/data/tag/reports