Emissions in China’s steel industry increased by 22.5% y/y in August

In August 2025, Chinese metallurgical enterprises belonging to the CISA industry association increased their total emissions by 22.5% compared to August 2024. This is evidenced by data from the association.

Despite the increase, emissions of sulfur dioxide, particulate matter, and nitrogen oxides in waste gases decreased by 12.3%, 2.9%, and 0.5% year-on-year, respectively.

Total energy consumption by participating companies in August increased by 1.1% y/y. Total energy consumption (electricity, gas, coal, etc.) per ton of steel increased by 0.8% y/y, and comparable consumption increased by 1.7%. At the same time, electricity consumption per ton of steel increased by 2.5% y/y.

Total electricity consumption increased by 9.2% y/y. Own electricity production increased by 5% y/y, while its share in the overall balance decreased by 2.5 percentage points. Clean energy production increased by 51.8% y-o-y, including wind energy by 171% and solar energy by 45.1%.

Water consumption by member companies of the association increased by 4.8% y-o-y. Water intake increased by 5.1% y-o-y, and reuse by 4.8%. The water reuse rate remained at 98.36%. Water consumption per ton of steel increased by 3.9% y-o-y – to 2.64 cubic meters. Wastewater emissions increased by 1.7% y-o-y.

The utilization rate of steelmaking slag, blast furnace slag, and iron-bearing dust remained above 99%. The use of combustible gases, in particular blast furnace, converter, and coke oven gas, exceeded 98%.

It should be noted that in 2024, total emissions in China’s steel industry increased by 4.1% compared to 2023. The increase in the liquidity of blast furnace capacities compared to electric arc furnaces increased emissions in the industry, despite a decline in annual steel production.