The carbon footprint of steel corrosion

Abstract

The monetary cost of corrosion is currently estimated at 3 to 4% of the global GDP considering direct costs exclusively. However, no study to date has quantified the environmental impact associated with steel corrosion. Here, we determined that the CO2 emissions associated with the steelmaking required to replace corroded steel will be 4.1–9.1% of the total by 2030 considering the European Union and recent U.S. greenhouse gas reduction targets. We suggest that implementing corrosion management best-practices could drastically reduce the greenhouse gas emissions associated with the replacement of corroded steel and emphasize the need for coordinated international efforts.