Startup makes breakthrough that could help clean up one of world's dirtiest industries: 'This is a major step'

Steel is everywhere — in buildings, bridges, cars, and appliances. But making it remains one of the dirtiest industrial processes on the planet. 

According to the World Economic Forum, it is responsible for nearly 8% of global carbon pollution. 

However, researchers at the University of Birmingham have created a start-up called PeroCycle, backed by Cambridge Future Tech, to develop an in-process recycling system designed to slash emissions from steel production. 

The Institution of Mechanical Engineers observed, producing around one ton of crude steel can create about two tons of carbon dioxide. With global steel demand still rising, the industry pumps more than three gigatons of harmful carbon pollution into the air every year. 

PeroCycle's system uses a perovskite-based catalyst and high-temperature reactor to turn carbon dioxide back into carbon monoxide, which can then be reused in the blast furnace — creating a "closed carbon loop" instead of a one-way stream of waste into the atmosphere. 

The technology is based on years of research by Professor Yulong Ding and Dr. Harriet Kildahl at the University of Birmingham. 

With fresh funding of £4 million ($5.3 million) announced in August, PeroCycle plans to build a pilot unit capable of processing 1,000 tons of CO2 per year and expand its team to bring the system closer to large-scale use. 

"This is a major step forward for PeroCycle's mission to decarbonize steel from within," said Owen Thompson, CEO and co-founder of Cambridge Future Tech, per the Institution of Mechanical Engineers. 

He added that the company is "positioned to deliver real-world industrial impact" with the new technology. 

Decarbonizing steel has been one of the biggest hurdles in building a cleaner future. 

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Steelmaking has long been considered a "hard-to-abate" sector because of its extreme temperatures and reliance on coal. But by recycling carbon inside of existing infrastructure, PeroCycle's solution offers an innovative way to cut pollution without replacing every furnace. 

The process could also save money — reducing waste in steel production means fewer raw materials are needed, lowering costs over time and helping to stabilize stressed supply chains. 

Because less pollution means healthier air, breakthroughs like this can improve health in surrounding communities and cut the environmental footprint of industries we all rely on. 

The company's pilot project is expected to launch soon, with hopes of scaling up in the coming years.

If successful, this tech could help to transform one of the world's most emissions-heavy industries into a new leader in recycling and sustainability, proving that even the toughest environmental challenges can have smart, workable solutions.

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