As global carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM) and international green procurement rules accelerate implementation, China Steel (CSC) has centered its core R&D layout on low-carbon metallurgy, recycled steel upgrading and full-life-cycle environmental certification, continuously expanding its EPD-certified green steel portfolio to satisfy global downstream low-carbon supply chain demands across automotive, construction, home appliance and new energy industries.

1. Core R&D Breakthroughs on Low-Carbon Green Steel Production Technology

China Steel focuses on two major low-carbon technical routes: long-process blast furnace emission reduction and short-process high-scrap electric furnace smelting, forming proprietary green metallurgy technologies after years of iterative R&D.

First, the enterprise optimizes blast furnace fuel structure via blast furnace gas recovery, waste heat power generation and low-carbon coke substitution, cutting fossil energy consumption of hot rolling production lines comprehensively. Second, CSC launches serial RC recycled-content steel grades from RC12 to RC60, raising steel scrap proportion from 12% up to 60% in finished steel; every ton of recycled scrap steel reduces roughly 1.5 tons of CO₂ emission per World Steel Association calculation, with projected annual carbon cut exceeding 400,000 tons by 2030 versus the 2021 baseline. Besides, the R&D team develops green galvanized steel, low-carbon electrical steel for new energy motors and lightweight automotive cold rolled steel, balancing mechanical performance and carbon footprint reduction to realize product high-value decarbonization.

2. Definition & Value of EPD Certification for China Steel’s Green Products

EPD (Environmental Product Declaration) is a third-party verified Type III environmental certificate formulated per ISO14025 & ISO14044 standards, based on full cradle-to-gate Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to quantify raw material exploitation, manufacturing energy use, pollutant emission and carbon footprint data of steel products, widely recognized as the global "green passport" for steel export and green procurement. International mainstream brands including Volvo, IKEA and European construction enterprises mandate EPD documents for upstream steel suppliers to avoid greenwashing risks and fulfill carbon compliance requirements against CBAM tariffs.

China Steel completes standardized LCA data collection for mainstream steel varieties following international PCR (Product Category Rules) specifications, establishing internal full-process environmental data tracking system to support batch EPD application and audit.

3. Existing EPD-Certified Product Matrix of China Steel

Up to now, China Steel has acquired complete EPD certification plus UL2809 recycled content validation for five core steel categories, covering full industrial mainstream specifications:

① Hot rolled steel coil (RC12, scrap ratio ≥12%): applied for machinery structural parts, engineering steel components;

② Cold rolled steel coil (RC12): core raw material for home appliance shell, precision hardware;

③ Regular galvanized steel coil (RC12 & RC20): for construction roofing, solar bracket manufacturing;

④ High-recycled galvanized steel coil (RC60, scrap up to 60%): premium eco-material for European green building and new energy vehicle outer panels;

⑤ Low-carbon wire rod & bar steel: EPD-certified for fastener, high-strength bolt raw material, serving global automotive fastener supply chain.

All certified products release standardized EPD reports with full open environmental indicator data including GWP (Global Warming Potential), water consumption and solid waste discharge, downloadable for downstream clients’ green product certification and carbon accounting.

4. Follow-up R&D Planning & Market Layout of Low-Carbon EPD Steel

In the medium-term R&D roadmap, China Steel plans to expand EPD certification to electrical steel, stainless steel plate and shipbuilding structural steel, completing full-category EPD coverage of its core product lines within three years. Meanwhile, the group speeds up green steel market development in Southeast Asia, Europe and North America; relying on EPD certification advantages, it gains priority access to EU green construction, new energy vehicle and wind power equipment procurement projects, boosting the proportion of low-carbon certified steel in total export volume year by year.

Furthermore, CSC cooperates with global LCA third-party certification institutions to synchronize EPD data update with production process upgrade, continuously optimize product carbon emission indicators and deepen the competitive edge of China Steel’s green steel in the worldwide low-carbon material market.