Report: Emissions from China's steel industry increased by 3.4% during the first half of 2023

From January to June 2023, total emissions from China's steel industry increased by 3.4% compared to the same period in 2022, according to the China Iron and Steel Association (CISA). Sulfur dioxide emissions per tonne of steel were 0.21 kg/t (-17.7% per annum), smoke and dust – 0.25 kg/t (-16.5% per annum), nitrogen oxide – 0.41 kg/t (-15% per annum) Sulfur dioxide emissions decreased and solid particles by 17% and 14.5%, respectively. The total volume of water used by steel companies in the January-June period rose 3.8% year-on-year to 47.24 billion cubic meters. In particular, new water consumption decreased by 3% annually to 25.6 million cubic meters, reuse increased by 3.9% annually to 1.75 billion cubic meters, and the water reuse level was 98.3%, which is 0.12 pp higher. In the first half of 2023, Chinese steelmakers' slag output reached 43.8 million tonnes, up 0.3% year on year. Blast furnace slag production rose 3.6% year on year to 115.6 million tonnes, steelmaking slag utilization rate was 99.14% (+0.64 percentage point year/year), blast furnace slag 99.14% (+0.17 percentage point year/year). Blast furnace gas production was 478.5 BCM, which is 1.5% more YoY, Converted - 42.5 BCM (+2.9% YoY). Coke - 28.45 BCM (-0.1%) and the blast furnace gas utilization coefficient was 98.44%, which corresponds to the January-June 2022 index, for converter gas - 98.50% (-0.01 percentage point year-on-year). Coke - 98.8% (+0.07 percentage point year on year. At the beginning of July, the municipal government of Tangshan (Hebei Province) — the foremost centre of China's steel industry — asked local steel mills to reduce production to improve air quality as part of measures. The government asked 11 Class A steel mills to take the initiative to cut production by 30%, while Class B firms or less were to suspend half of their sintering capacity from July 1 to 31. In the first half of 2023? China's steel production increased by 1.3% compared to the same period in 2022, reaching 535.64 million tonnes. By the end of the year, the government may impose restrictions on steel production.