ARCHIVESHISTORIQUES
DELACOMMISSION
COLLECTION RELIEEDES
DOCUMENTS "COM"
COM(79)52
Vol.1979/0020

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COMMISSION OFTHEEUROPEANCOMMUNITIES
MEMORANDUM
ESTABLISHMENT OFAFOURTHECSCRESEARCH PROGRAMME
ONTHE
"TECHNICAL CONTROL OFNUISANCES ANDPOLLUTION ATTHEPLACEOFWORK
ANDINTHE.ENVIRONMENT OFIRONANDSTEELWORKS"COM(79)52 final
Brussels,16February1979
/,^
.«
/
COMC79)52final

MEMORANDUM
ESTABLISHMENT OFAFOURTHECCCRESEARCHPROGRASOrS
"- OilTHE
"TE^KFICAL COP7TROLSPUTCSAUCE3 AM)FSLIUTI^T ATTHEPIACEOFWORK
LSDIETfEllKT.irMiOT 01' WikS"
CONTENTS
I.Introduction-Reviewofpreviousprogrammes
II.Theneedforresearchintopollutioncontrolintheiron
andsteelindustry
III.ResearchProgramme
1.Cokingplants
2,.Sinteringofironore
3.Blastfurnaces
4.Meltingshops
5.Rollingmills
6.Measurement
7.Generalproblemsandareasofoverlap
IV.Coordination 6fwork
V.ResearchResults
VI..Financialaspectsanddurationoftheprogramme
VII.Conclusions

-2-
ESTABLI SiuE 'UTOFAFOURTH ECSC RESEARCH PROGRAMME OH
"T5CHKTCAL CpiOtOL OFITUX^TC ES .AM).POLLUTION AT pFJTORK
AM )""CT "THEEKVIROj-EIEM' "CFIRON ANDSTEEL WORKS "
I.Introduction -Review ofprevious programmes
Thethird research programme onthetechnical control ofpollution
intheiron andsteel industry ,approved bytheCommission ofthe
European Communities on11February 1974 pursuant toArticle 55of
theECSC Treaty ,expired attheendof1978 ,after running fora
period of5years .The 10million units ofaccount made available
fortheprogramme asaidforresearch projects andforthedis­
semination ofresearch results relating totheimprovement of
working andenvironmental conditions inandaround iron andsteel
works have nowbeen used up.
Most oftheaidallocated wastopromote work carried outby
undertakings andinstitutions directly connected with theiron and
steel industry ,although certain more basic research projects were
financed foruniversities andother specialist institutions .This
approach made itpossible toachieve immediate practical application
oftheresearch andadirect improvement inenvironmental and
working conditions .
Ashadbeen planned ,thetnird programme ooverod awider range of
subjects than theprevious programmes .
Thefirst research projects inthis area ,some oftvhich were started
in195C ,tirere aimed primarily atimproving working conditions and
developing ways ofmeasuring pollutants .
Asaresult oftherapid increase intheuseofoxygen intheiron
andsteel industry ,major research projects were undertaken to
combat the emission ofbrown fume from converters .
./3

Tnesecond research programme (1967-1973 )dealt mainly with air
pollution ,butintheclosing stages oftheprogramme itwasfound
necessary topromote research onthetreatment ofwaste andliquid
effluent .
Inthethird programme (1974-1973 )increased financial assistance
made itpossible toexamine awider range ofproblems which have
emerged astheiron andsteel industry hasdeveloped .Agreat deal
ofwork hasbeen carried outonthetreatment ofwaste andby-products
oftheiron andsteel industry *Inparticular ,efforts have been
made toeliminate zinc andlead frou thedust emitted during
pig-iron andsteel production ,toupgrade melting shop slag ,to
store slag andother waste andtoseparate oilafter use .
Asfarasliquid effluent isconcerned ,efforts were directed mainly
towards thetreatment ofeffluent from coking plants .Various
methods were proposed ,some ofwhich appear likely tobeapplied
successfully foreliminating wastes ,auxnoniac ,phenol andcyanide .
Theaimisstill todevise reliable techniques which provide
adequate cleaning atmore favourable investment andoperating costs .
Theproblems areoften interrelated .Dedusting operations inlarge
production units result inincreasing amounts ofdusts andslurries
duetofiltering andwashing processes .Increasing amounts ofsludge
arealso being generated bywaste treatment plants .Asdumping sites
areatthesame time becoming scarcer ,there isagrowing need for
more intensive work onexamining thepossibility ofreprocessing such
material ?.Theprimary aimistoconvert thewaste into saleable
products which have ashigh avalue aspossible .This reduces
pressure both ondumping facilities andonthesupply ofraw
materials andenergy *Research projects have been successfully
conducted inthis field andhave ledtopractical pilot prograLsnes
and industrial-scale tests .

Theconferences held in1974 (thequality oftheenvironment inthe
iron andsteel industry ),1977 (coking plants )and1978 (treatment
ofiron andsteel industry waste )areanindication ofthewide
interest which theindustry pays tothese fields .
Researchers continued todevote attention tosuspended particles and
tocertain gases emitted iniron andsteel production processes ,and
work ontheorigin ofbrown fume andonfluorine andN0Xemissions
wasundertaken orcompleted .Itwasalso found necessary toimprove
andperfect methods ofmeasuring pollutants invery specific areas .
Thework ofcomparing themethods ofmeasuring dusts deposited
around industrial sites andofselecting themost suitable equipment
formeasuring solid ,gasandliquid pollutants intheiron andsteel
industry maybementioned bywayofexample .
While fhemethods ofcollecting brown fume frorr converters and
fumes from furnaces were greatly improved during theprevious
programmes andhave produced satisfactory results ,thecontrol of
secondary pollution ,i.e. that caused byoperations such ascharging
or casting ,requires further study .Installations and
capacities should bemade proportionate tothepurpose ofthe
installations .Thefirst research projects ,inparticular those
concerning thetapping oftheblast furnace andmelting furnaces ,
areanindication ofhowthis work maybeorientated infuture .
Emissions from coking plants (dusts andgases )continued tooccupy
theattention cfresearchers ,andplans tocollect allemissions by
means ofahood covering thecoke ovens were studied using amodel .
Attheendofthefinancial year aresearch project onthesealing
offurnace doors wasaccepted .
Because oftheincreasing power ofelectric arcfurnaces ,the
industrial world hasbecome keenly aware oftheurgent problem
ofthenoise pollution caused bythese furnaces .

-5-
ACoimtunity research project aimed atcoordinating work inthis
area wasembarked upon insaveral oftheCcrcmunity ccantries
concerned .Itisintended totest methods ofavoiding orconfining
furnace noise orofreducing thecyclic nature oftheelectricity
supply .These projects were precededbyergcnomic work carried
outaspart ofadifferent Commission piograsime .
Thenqed forresearch into pollutio ncontrol intheiron arid
ste°l industry .
Despite thevisible successes and itrprovarcants achieved hitherto ,the
problems identified andtackled inthethird programme cannot be
regarded ashaving been finally solved .Xaereasons areasfollows :
-satisfactory solutions have siill tobefound forcertain problems ;
-newproblems have emerged asaresult cftechnological change or
ofnet?inforatation onthe effects ofcertain substances or
emissions onman andtheenvironment ;
-gasandeffluent cleaning inturn leads toproblems ofsatisfactory
disposal oftheresidual waste products ;
-atpresent noise abatement isoften still limited tocostly
screening arrangements ofvarying effectiveness fcrlack ofthe
basic knowledge required foramere radical approach (ruction
ofnoise tsust betaken into account atthedesiga stage );
-thesituation asregards investment andoperating costs needs to
beimproved ;
-energy consumption forpollution control should bereduced without
loss ofefficiency .
Greater priority isgiven inpresent -dayresearch fcnan inprevious
years toensuring ,atthedesign stage ,thatproblems ofenviron­
mental aridworking conditions dcnet ar.«.se .Industrial processes
andworking techniques arearranged soastokeeppollution to«*
minimum .Where this isnotpossible because ofthenature ofthe
processes employed orforother reasons ,every effort ismade to
- / ./β

minimize such problems andtokeep them within reasonable limits .
Theimprovement inthequality oflife thus achieved must gohand
inhand with conservation ofnatural rawmaterials andenergy
resources ,andthecosts involved must betolerable .Theefforts
made tosafeguard andimprove theenvironment ,andhence working
conditions ,presuppose continuing scientific andtechnological
progress .Continuation ofthethird programme inthelight of
thelatest knowledge andrequirements would beessential inhelping
theiron andsteel industry toachieve itsaims inconnection with
environmental andworking conditions .
Intheprocess ofharmonizing laws ,directives ,regulations etc.
there isanincreasing need forstandardized methods ofsampling ,
measurement andanalysis ofmeasurement data .Measurement data
areconstantly being compared internationally ;butinthevast
majority ofcases itisnotrealised that theresults obtained by
different measurement techniques aregenerally still notdirectly
comparable .
•• .... ■ ■ ./
Theabove considerations indicate ,that research into thefurther
development ofpollution control equipment should henceforth bebased
onthefollowing objectives :
a)improving environmental andworking condt ions ;
b)complying with official requirements ;;
c)maintaining thecompetitiveness oftheworks andthus
safeguarding employment ; v
d)conserving rawmaterials andenergy . •
Emphasis will therefore beplaced both onlong-standing problems
forwhich satisfactory solutions have notyetbeen found andonthe
newproblems which areconstantly arising asaresult of
technological progress .

Asmtheprevious programmes ,itishoped that research onindustrial
hygiene andpollution control will keep abreast intechnology .
Allowance will bemade forindustrial andenvironmental hygiene when
production tehcniques aredevised .
Aresearch programme extending over several years cannot hope to
keep pace with developments inamajor industry such asthemodern
iron andste^l industry ,which isgoing through aperiod ofeconomic
andtechnical change .
Thefields covered bythis programme will bedealt with along
similar lines totechnical research onsteel and,inthecase of
coking plants ,totechnical research oncoal .Several projects
have already been jointly financed bythetechnical andsocial
sectors ,anditwould bevery worthwhile toextend this cooperation .
Account hasalso been taken ofthegeneral objectives which the
iron andsteel industry sets periodically inaccordance with the
ECSG Treaty .
Close contact will bemaintained with theEnvironment andConsumer
Protection Service ,which isresponsible fortheCommunities '
environment policy .Inparticular ,account will betaken ofexisting
orfuture directives which establish Community legislation inthis
area .Astheprogramme issubject toconstraints asregards
financing ,administrative capacity andtime-span ,certain priorities ,
which arealready clearly determined ,have tobeadopted ,whether
they aretheresult ofaction already started andwhich should be
continued ,orwhether they have emerged asaresult ofatechnical
development orlegal requirement .

..-a-
Thefollowing mayberegarded astheprogramme smain priorities :
-Continuation ofresearch oneffective and economic measures to
reduce dust andgasemissions inshops andinthevicinity of
works .
-Research anddevelopment work ontechniques ofcleaning effluent ,
with particular reference toeffluent from coking plant .
-Treatment ofiron andsteel industry waste .Waste will be
regarded asaby-product ofpigirou andsteel production .This
sector includes theupgrading ,recycling andstorage ofwaste
products .
-Research aimed atreducing thenoise level andvibrations of
furnaces andother plant andmachinery used intheiron andsteel
industry .Account will betaken oftheknowledge yhich has
accumulated over along period asaresult ofmedical and
ergonomic programmes .Special efforts will bemade todevise
suitable preventive techniques .
-Special research into hygiene atwork .Removal ,byappropriate
means ,ofpoisonous gases orother substances .
III .Research programme ( ,
Theorder inwhich thefields covered bytheprogramme arepresented
corresponds tothesequence inwhich steel isconventionally
produced androlled .Themain areas ofresearch discussed above
will therefore bedealt with inthefollowing sections .
1.Coking plants ;
While substantial progress hasbeen made inreducing emissions in
newplants ,especially during theoven charging andquenching
operations ,further developments arenecessary ,andmeans of
improving existing plants must bedevised .Particular importance
still attaches totheprevention ofemissions asaresult ofleakage
andduring coke pushing .
./9

-9-
Theneed topayspecial attention tothetreatnent cfcoking plant
effluent isas£reat asever .
2.Sintering ofiron ore
Despite theconsiderable achievements indust collection in
sintering plants andassociated installations ,theuseofresidues
andvariations infuels andores pose asyetunsolved problems with
regard totheeffect ofthese Materials onthequantity and
composition ofthedust aadnoxious gases emitted .Inthis context
mention should also bemade ofthecooling ofthesinter .Ore
pelletization processes also involve some problems ofairandwater
pollution which have notyetbeen satisfactorily overcome .
3.Blast furn aces
While theblast furnace process itself mayberegarded as
noii-polluting ,satisfactory solutions have still tobefound for
anumber ofmajor problems cfasecondary nature .These include
thereduction ofsecondary dust emissions during tapping *theabatement
ofnoise dtietochange-over ofcowpers ,burdening ofblast furnace and
bloTidxig-off fandimprovements inthehandling cfwater ,dust ,slurries
and slaga
4.Melting shops
Theremarks onpigiron production also apply here .Uith certain
exceptions ,primary dec'.usting maybsregarded assatisfactory ,
although research maystill becarried outtodevise techniques which
areless costly andcumbersome .Special attention needs tobepaid
tooperations such asthedesulphurisacion ofpigiron andthe
charging andtapping ofmelting furnaces orconverters .Itisalso
essential tocarry outfurther work onnoise abatement inelectric
furnaces .Melting shop slag also needs tobestudied with aview
toincreasing theproportion ofi/aste which canbere-used andto
reducing thequantities dumped .
. ./10

10-
5.Rollmg mills
<r ;
Inaddition tothefamiliar sources ofpollution mentioned inthe
third programme andrequiring special measures toprevent airand
water pollution ,i.e. those associated with re-heating furnaces ,
flame scarfing ,grinding andpickling ,research should also cover
certain secondary sources ,such asoij ,mists atcertain types of
rolling stand .
Hot-rolling mills account foraconsiderable proportion of
steelworks effluent .Thetechniques fortreating this effluent
must befurther developed andfundamental principles must be
established forthedesign ofwater treatment plants .Wo
satisfactory solution hasyetbeen found forthetreatment ofoily
sludges from rolling mills oroily mill scale ,andfurther
research isrequired inthis area .
6.•Ueasurement '- • "'■
Measurement ofpollution played amajor part inthelast three
programmes .Thefourth programme seems likely tofocus onthe
following points :
-development ofmeasurement techniques ,especially„fof continuous
measurement ; {
adaptation ofexisting techniques totheparticular needs ofthe
iron andsteel industry ;
-Harmonization ofsampling ,measurement andanalysis procedures to
ensure comparability ofresults .
7.General problems andareas ofoverlap , r
-Reduction ofemissions offine dust andgaseous pollutants such as
F,NO ,30oandmalodorous substances such asHoS ,Mercaptans ,etc.;Xr 6 *
-reduction ofpollution caused bythestorage andhandling ofwaste
products intheform ofdusts andslurries ;
-treatment ,processing andrecycling ofwaste from iron andsteel
production andfrom airandwater cleaning plant ;
./II

I
11-
•development ofsuitable dumping techniques forthedisposal of
waste resulting from theproduction ofpigiron andsteel ;
-detection andassessment oftheeffects ofpigiron andsteel
production ontheenvironment ;
-measures toreduce thevolume anddegree ofcontamination of
effluent ;
-reduction ofenergy requirements andcosts ofgascleaning ,
effluent treatment andrecycling ;
-precautions against thehazards ofinhaling toxic gases and
dusts ,e.g. silicosis-producing dusts emitted when handling
certain refractories orabrasives ;
-reduction ofthero\sa produced bycertain plant intheiron and
steel industry anddevelopment ofsuit&jla low-cosi iaear<s if
noise abatement toprotect both employees andtheenvironment ;
-reduction ofthenoise produced bytransport equipment used in
theiron andsteel industry ,toprotect employees from
excessive noise andvibrations and toprevent noise inpopulated
areas ;
-replacement ofcleaning agents andadjuvants ,,which cancause damage
tohealth ortothe environment .
IV.Coordination ofwork
Theprevious programmes were organized satisfactorily once they hadbeen
accepted bytheCommission ..Th ?.3'>?•rjsc?i />-."c,ad/ised onthepromotion
ofprojects bythree cci-u!?viTvc3 ~tb;R.-search Committee ,
theCommittee ofprodxirs sidvp?:crsor .:vvstr ..alsafety and
medicine endthe Coicrij.ttee cigovernacnt erp^rts ,whose members are
suitably qualified .
When theCordis sionaccepts aproject itconcludes acontract with
theparty concerned which iis'^cs itcompulsory tosubmit technical
reports onthework cTrie ^;>rt,Tb•?',1ere amitedanddiscussed
■byexper^o *working parcr.ea T7hich suoir.it reasoned opinion ?tothe
Commission .
2.1 ^ - *./l2

-12-
Where necessary ,these working parties meet atresearch centres
orintheworks where theresearch isbeing conducted ,.andthey
arethus able togain afirst-hand impression ofthework on
which they arecalled upon tocomment .
Itisexpected that thepresent programme will also beorganized
inthis way.
Thesubjects covered bythis programme aredealt with ,toa
greater orlesser degree ,depending ontheir powers orareas
ofcompetence ,byinternational organisations such asthe
ISO ,theUnited Nations andthe 053CD ,etc.Ithasbeen found
inthepast that close relations with these organisations are
valuable fororganising research projects andthat theprogrammes
arefurthermore ofconsiderable help tothese institutions in
their work .
/
Research results
Details ofprojects andofthe -results obtained will bepassed
ontothose concerned .Research reports aremade available as
early aspossible tothemembers oftheexperts' working parties .
These experts areallspecialists intheiron andsteel industries
oftheir respective countries ,andthus theresearch findings
canbepassed onquickly tothese industries .
Toensure that information onresearch undertaken reaches aswide
apublic aspossible ,details ofprojects forwhich financial
aidisallocated will bepublished inEuro-Abstracts ,which will
also publish final outline reports asthey aredrawn up.In
addition ,interested organizations orindividuals mayobtain a
complete final report onrequest from theCommission .Readers
are reminded that information isalso available from other
sources ,e.g. offprint 'sofarticles onresearch projects ,
conferences etc.TheSteal Industry Safety andH&alth Commission
contributes towards safety andhealth intheindustry by
organizing exchanges ofexperience among theMember States .
t,• ./13

This organization maybeassisted mitswork ifthefindings of
theprojects aremade known toit.
Financial aspects andduration oftheprogramme
!
Theprevious programmes onindustrial health andsafety and
pollution control intheiron andsteel industry ranforfive
years .This hasproved sufficient forpositive results tobe
drawn from theprojects ,andinmany cases ithasbeen possible
toapply theresults under practical conditions with little
cîelay *
\ '
t
Theprojects have usually lasted twoandsometimes three years ,
aswill bethecase inthepresent programme ,which itis
proposed will runforfive years .
-
Thefunds tobeallocated for theprogramme include notonly the
financial aidfortheprojects butalso therelated costs of
implementing theprogramme and .disseminating theresults )aswell
asthecosts ofpublication ,translation ,typing ,distribution
media ,etc. 1
Inassessing thefunds required ,account wastaken ofthecost of
previous projects ,average cost increases ,theannual budget for
social research inthecoal andsteel sector ,andtheequipment
required byinstitutions andindividuals forthesatisfactory
l
organization oftheprogramme .Inaddition ,thetransition from
theresearch stage toamore advanced pilot ordevelopment phase
sometimes involves increased expenditure .
Inview oftheabove andofthefact that Comaunity financial aid
does notusually exceed 75^ofthedirect costs oftheprojects ,
theremainder being paid bytherecipient ,itisfelt that to
implement asatisfactory programme which makes aneffective
contribution towards improving industrial hygiene inandaround
steel works ,itisnecessary toallocate funds amounting to
15million EUA,spread over 5years from 1979 .
./14

ν
-14 -
Conclusions
TheCommission oftheEuropean Communities
-considering theneed to .encourage research onindustrial
hygiene atthework place intheiron andsteel industry
andontheimprovement oftheenvironment ;
-taking into account thefavourable opinions and
agreement expressed concerning research bythe
professional ,government andscientific consultative
committees ;
-having regard toArticle 55oftheTreaty establishing
theEuropean Coal andSteel Community ;
proposes tomake available 15million i£UAforthe
implementation ofaresearch prograuiue onthe
'Technical control ofnuisances andpollution attheplace
ofwork and inthe environment ofiron ancL .steel works "
foraperiod of5years from 1979 •