Sustainability
Sustainability measures at Vargön Alloys form an important, natural part of the overall operation and are conducted with regard to all three sustainability perspectives – economic, ecological and social.
Because we seek to have the lowest possible impact on the environment without affecting our ability to deliver high-quality ferrochrome products, we implement continuous improvement processes in respect of our own operations and collaborations with others. Production at Vargön Alloys must be as sustainable, resource efficient and effective from an environmental standpoint as possible, both in terms of managing raw materials, energy and residual products.
Using energy as efficiently as possible forms another important part of Vargön Alloys’ environmental protection work. This includes fossil-free energy used in an energy recovery system that benefits society. Of the electrical energy used, 40 – 45% is recovered by using the process gases in steam and hot water boilers. The latter deliver heat to the district heating plants in Vänersborg and Trollhättan for heating homes and other premises.
Ferrochrome production generates flue gas, which contains particulates. Vargön Alloys invested in advanced flue gas cleaning back in the 1970s and today up to 99% of the dust particles from all furnaces are collected in filters.
Cooling water is taken from the Göta River, to which it is returned with a marginal temperature rise. No form of process water is used in the operation.
The disposal of filter dust generates leachate, which is taken care of by Vargön Alloys’ water treatment installation before it is released in the Göta River.
The smelter is located between Göta River and the community of Vargön. Using action plans, Vargön Alloys works meticulously to reduce the occurrence and spread of noise from the operation, and it conducts regular near sound-field measurements as required by the authorities.
Dust particles separated from the alloy furnaces is collected in silos where it is treated to reduce dust dispersion. It is disposed of in cells in the dust repository at the company’s own disposal site.
Vargön Alloys seeks to develop new uses for the slag it produces with the aim of productizing it.
Raw materials, mainly ore, coke and quartzite, are stored outdoors. Chemicals are stored close to the locations where they are used. Oils are stored in a large, common storage room where Absol is also available. Storm drains in the vicinity are fitted with sealed covers. Vargön Alloys also keeps a web-based chemicals register where all chemicals used are carefully listed.
Research report
In 2024, Vargön Alloys AB received an award at the International Chrome Development Association conference for its industrial scale biochar project.
Winner 2026
For the second time, Vargön Alloys has won the prestigious Sustainability Award from the International Chromium Development Association.
This time, the award recognizes the FEMOST project, in which we developed a hybrid briquette consisting of 10 percent biochar, 15 percent mill scale, and chromite ore. After countless hours of work in the briquetting plant, we succeeded in developing a recipe that not only performed well in the laboratories of Swerim but also proved successful under full-scale operating conditions. In total, approximately 600 metric tons of briquettes were produced and charged into Furnace 10 in September.
The results were impressive: reduced electrode consumption, increased chromium recovery, and a 20 percent reduction in fossil carbon emissions.
The ferrochrome produced during the campaign was subsequently used by our project partner Uddeholm, where the material has also demonstrated very promising results. Additional trials are planned this spring with our second steel industry partner, Ovako.
See detailed information in pdf format.
