By Dr Mark Mistry, Director, Public Policy and Sustainability, Nickel Institute
Nickel-containing stainless steel may have a higher production footprint, but it offers longevity, efficiency and recyclability.
In today’s world, sustainability is more than a buzzword – it’s a guiding principle shaping industries, policies, and consumer choices. In the stainless steel sector, nickel plays an important role in enhancing material performance and longevity, and supporting long-term sustainability goals. But what does sustainability truly mean in this context, and how can we effectively measure it?
At its core, sustainability is about meeting present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs. It requires balancing economic growth, environmental care and social wellbeing. Sustainable development, meanwhile, is the road map to achieve this – a continuous process of improving technologies, practices and policies.
Can materials be compared for sustainability? Yes, but it’s complex. Since the 1990s, scientists and industry experts have worked to define methods for evaluating materials based on sustainability. While environmental and economic aspects are well-established through agreed methods and tools, the social dimension is evolving.
Evaluating materials goes beyond carbon footprints and energy consumption – it involves understanding their full life cycle impact while considering the environment, economics, and social aspects.
Tools like life cycle assessments (LCAs) offer a structured approach to evaluate a material’s environmental impacts from cradle to grave.
Defined by ISO standards, LCAs help assess the environmental performance of nickel-containing stainless steel throughout its entire life cycle – from raw material extraction to end-of-life recycling.
Complementary methods like life cycle costing (LCC) and social LCA (s-LCA) expand this evaluation to economic and social impacts, providing a more comprehensive sustainability assessment. These tools highlight not only environmental benefits, but also economic efficiency and social responsibility.
Context matters
No material is inherently sustainable – its impact depends on its production, use and end-of-life management. Take, for example, stainless steel made entirely from recycled scrap using hydropower. While this seems highly sustainable, if it ends up as a decorative part in a short-lived electronic device that’s improperly disposed of and not recycled, its sustainability is undermined.
Conversely, using nickel-containing stainless steel in long-lasting applications – such as infrastructure or chemical processing – maximises its value and reduces environmental impact over time.
Recycled stainless steel generally carries a lower carbon and environmental footprint than that produced from primary raw materials; however, assessing sustainability requires consideration of economic and social dimensions, alongside the product’s entire life cycle.
And is recycling always more sustainable? Not necessarily. If recycled stainless steel is used in a short-lived product that neither benefits from its robust properties nor gets recycled again, its sustainability might be lower than primary stainless steel used in a long-lasting, fully recycled application.
From a social perspective, primary production in areas with limited infrastructure may create more jobs and economic benefits than highly efficient recycling processes in wealthier regions that employ fewer people.
Quantitative data from LCAs, LCCs and s-LCAs are therefore essential tools for evaluating materials and product systems holistically, enabling informed decisions across all sustainability dimensions.
Looking ahead: building a sustainable future with nickel
Nickel’s role in stainless steel is pivotal. Nickel has a high economic value, which ensures that downstream and end users carefully assess whether to use nickel-containing products or to look for nickel-free alternatives. Nickel is used where the economics are justified by better functionality, longer life and higher efficiency – and this also creates significant environmental benefits. What’s more, stainless steel recyclers benefit from the fact that nickel-containing stainless steel scrap has a higher economic value, which is a driver for far higher collection rates.
Its durability, corrosion resistance and recyclability make it a prime material for sustainable applications. Continued investment in LCA and LCC studies allows the industry to highlight nickel’s long-term value while refining practices to reduce its environmental footprint.
The Nickel Institute’s work helps us to understand the socio-economic relevance of nickel and its value chains in various nickel-producing and -using regions globally, complementing the environmental and economic dimension with social aspects.
As industries worldwide adopt greener practices, integrating nickel thoughtfully in stainless steel will help strike a balance between economic success, environmental protection and social responsibility – a true reflection of sustainability.
