502
S. Grund and E. van Genderen
Sustainable Cities and Circular Economy
The construction and transportation sectors account for 70% of zinc product applications. Zinc contributes to the longevity of steel infrastructure by protecting it from
corrosion and extending the useful life of buildings, cars, public transport, and many
other types of societal infrastructure that is crucial to everyday life. This strength
therefore adds to the safety element of sustainable cities and communities. About
60% of total zinc production is still in use today. The use of hot-dip galvanized steel
has been shown to be characterized by lower consumption of resources and less
pollution throughout its service life in comparison with an equivalent paint system
[39, 40].
While galvanized steel is used widely in developed countries and across a variety
of sectors, there is still considerable growth to be realized in new growth economies
where the markets are underdeveloped, and where significant population growth and
subsequent rapid urbanization is expected into 2050 [41]. More than three billion
people are estimated to be in need of adequate housing by 2030 [42]. Without safe,
long-lasting infrastructure, some of the world’s most vulnerable people will be further at risk of exposure to increasingly frequent and volatile climatic events. The
construction of high-rise buildings typically aims to address population growth by
maximizing the use of space, especially in areas of rapid urbanization. Specifically,
high-rise buildings classed as skyscrapers are constructed using steel. As such, the
housing and construction sector is the largest consumer of steel, using around 50% of
steel produced. At this scale, the requisite of steel galvanization illustrates the magnitude of zinc’s role in SDG 9 “Industry Innovation and Infrastructure”, 11 “Sustainable
Cities and Communities” and 12 “Responsible Consumption and Production”.
While zinc contributes to SDG 9 and 11 by keeping infrastructure durable and
more resilient in the face of climatic uncertainty, it also contributes to SDG 12 as
zinc has an extremely high recycling potential. Zinc metal can be infinitely recycled
without losing its essential properties. About 35% of current zinc production comes
from zinc-bearing materials that have come out of use and been recycled. While
it’s estimated that at a global scale about 45% of all available zinc at the end of
life is actually recovered and recycled, recycling rates vary depending the maturity
of recycling networks and regulatory incentives for industrial waste reduction of
different regions.
Moving forward, there are significant opportunities to scale up the recycling
of zinc products through innovative recovery technologies and engagement with
regulators in order to close the loop for zinc’s life cycle [35].
Conclusions
The metals industry is faced with global challenges linked to sustainable development, such as climate change, circular economy, and responsible sourcing. Of course,
there are responsibilities that companies have to deal with at enterprise or at site level.
S. Grund and E. van Genderen
Sustainable Cities and Circular Economy
The construction and transportation sectors account for 70% of zinc product applications. Zinc contributes to the longevity of steel infrastructure by protecting it from
corrosion and extending the useful life of buildings, cars, public transport, and many
other types of societal infrastructure that is crucial to everyday life. This strength
therefore adds to the safety element of sustainable cities and communities. About
60% of total zinc production is still in use today. The use of hot-dip galvanized steel
has been shown to be characterized by lower consumption of resources and less
pollution throughout its service life in comparison with an equivalent paint system
[39, 40].
While galvanized steel is used widely in developed countries and across a variety
of sectors, there is still considerable growth to be realized in new growth economies
where the markets are underdeveloped, and where significant population growth and
subsequent rapid urbanization is expected into 2050 [41]. More than three billion
people are estimated to be in need of adequate housing by 2030 [42]. Without safe,
long-lasting infrastructure, some of the world’s most vulnerable people will be further at risk of exposure to increasingly frequent and volatile climatic events. The
construction of high-rise buildings typically aims to address population growth by
maximizing the use of space, especially in areas of rapid urbanization. Specifically,
high-rise buildings classed as skyscrapers are constructed using steel. As such, the
housing and construction sector is the largest consumer of steel, using around 50% of
steel produced. At this scale, the requisite of steel galvanization illustrates the magnitude of zinc’s role in SDG 9 “Industry Innovation and Infrastructure”, 11 “Sustainable
Cities and Communities” and 12 “Responsible Consumption and Production”.
While zinc contributes to SDG 9 and 11 by keeping infrastructure durable and
more resilient in the face of climatic uncertainty, it also contributes to SDG 12 as
zinc has an extremely high recycling potential. Zinc metal can be infinitely recycled
without losing its essential properties. About 35% of current zinc production comes
from zinc-bearing materials that have come out of use and been recycled. While
it’s estimated that at a global scale about 45% of all available zinc at the end of
life is actually recovered and recycled, recycling rates vary depending the maturity
of recycling networks and regulatory incentives for industrial waste reduction of
different regions.
Moving forward, there are significant opportunities to scale up the recycling
of zinc products through innovative recovery technologies and engagement with
regulators in order to close the loop for zinc’s life cycle [35].
Conclusions
The metals industry is faced with global challenges linked to sustainable development, such as climate change, circular economy, and responsible sourcing. Of course,
there are responsibilities that companies have to deal with at enterprise or at site level.