Pacific Steel Dusts itself off

The use of recycled water and natural landscaping is helping Pacific Steel with dust management.

Pacific Steel Group is New Zealand's only manufacturer of wire rod, galvanised wire and reinforcing bar and coil products.

All products are made from 100% locally sourced scrap steel, making the business the country's largest metal recycler. Every year with joint venture partner, Sims Pacific Metals, the group converts around 300,000 tonnes of scrap metal, including old car bodies into quality steel products.

Pacific Steel has actively sought better ways to improve their environmental compliance and demonstrate their commitment to continuous improvement, especially in the area of air particulates. Dust has been a key concern, with the company required to minimise emissions during processing and ensure there is no wind-blown nuisance from stockpiles.

Fugitive emissions from works debris has been addressed through creating an on-site by-product processing facility.

The former stockpile of work waste debris (affectionately termed Mount Pacific) was removed in 1999 and in its place is a permanent noise bund created using stabilised waste material fully surrounded by native vegetation. This is continually wetted down using water from the wetlands to ensure dust does not rise. At least an additional 300 native trees and flaxes have also been put around the site to create gardens and avenues that further reduce visual, audio and dust pollution.

Water from the wetlands is also used for regularly wetting unsealed roads around the site preventing additional dust rising.

Within the steel plant, the roof has been remodelled to ensure dust and mill scale (a valuable steel product onsold because of its high iron content) doesn't escape during normal operation. The main openings in the roof have been closed off to significantly reduce fugitive emissions, while the internal building baffles have been modified still allow fresh air ventilation into the plant keeping temperatures at an acceptable level.

Since completed, the constant visible particulates that used to be seen coming from the roof have now almost been eliminated, creating a huge visual improvement.