An insight on the greenhouse gas emission from the metals process industries and its effects on climate change

Abstract

The metals process the industry is a source of Greenhouse Gas (GHG), and the major components of these gases are CO2, CH4, N2O and Fluorinated gases (F-gases). The GHG is responsible for global warming potentials (GWP) and climate change.1,2 However, the common source of GHG emission is electricity production from fossil fuel to operate metals industries and as well from metals processing.3 The carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is about 65 percent.4 The methane is the second-largest carbon in GHG after CO2, which accounted for 16 percent of global emission. The effect of CH4 on GWP and climate change is about 25 percent higher than CO2. 5,6 Nitrous oxide is also a part of GHG in the atmosphere, and its contribution to GHG is about 6 percent. It has been reported that the metal process industries are a major emission source of N2O. 7,8The Fluorinated gas is a part of GHG and has a significant effect on climate change. The fact is the process of the metal industries are associated with Fluorinated gas emission. This gas includes hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs), and sulfur hexafluoride SF6.9,10 The Magnesium (Mg), Zinc, Lead, and other metals processing industries are the emitter of this gas.11 However, in a report, IEA stated that the burning of fossil fuel for electricity production to operate heavy industries like Iron, and Aluminum, Zinc. Magnesium and copper and significantly responsible for GWP.4,12