Recycling of automotive shredder residues (ASR) in iron- and steelmaking furnaces

European regulations are about to impose a minimum 95% recycling of end of life vehicles with a 10% maximum energy recovery (Directive 2000/53/EC). Current 75% recycling requires the development of innovative processing for treating certain heterogeneous streams. In particular, the recycling of light post-shredder technology particles (fluff) in iron-and steelmaking is an interesting avenue to explore. More specifically, the use of iron oxide rich streams for their iron content [blast furnaces (BFs)] and plastic rich streams as a reducing agent and/or alternative fuel (electric arc furnaces and BFs) is an industrial challenge. This article describes the preliminary multitechnical characterisation results of streams from an industrial site and discusses the potential for recycling according to the nature of the crippling impurities [polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and metals]. The iron oxides contain Cu, Pb and Zn metals, critical as regards pig iron specifications; the high density plastics concentrate PVC (7%Cl) with critical Pb, Sb and Zn. Additional stream processing is essential for such recycling.