CSN expands operations at steel aggregate yard in Volta Redonda

Companhia Siderúrgica Nacional (CSN) has intensified its efforts to move and reuse the steel aggregate stored at the Beneficiation Yard in the Brasilândia neighborhood of Volta Redonda (RJ). This material, a by-product of the steel production process, has been used in applications such as paving local roads, earthmoving, and railway ballast.

The strategy included the installation of a second modular processing separation plant, designed to process the newly generated aggregate. This has increased the recovery of scrap metal, which is reintegrated into the production process at the Presidente Vargas Plant (UPV), reducing the amount of final material to be stored. In addition, new crushers and granulometric separators have been incorporated into the process and are currently undergoing testing, with expectations of gains in operational efficiency, reduced energy consumption, elimination of atmospheric emissions, and lower maintenance requirements.

From August 2020 to June 2025, 4.4 million tons were moved externally and almost 885,000 tons of material were effectively removed from stock and reused. The Company expects to increase this volume with the implementation of new partnerships and projects.

Studies conducted by independent companies attest to the stability of the Processing Yard structures, ruling out the risk of deposits sliding toward the Paraíba do Sul River. In more than 30 years of operation, no movements or instabilities in the structures have been recorded.

Laboratory analyses also indicate that steel aggregate is not classified as toxic waste, nor does it pose a risk to human health or the environment. The material can be used to correct soil pH and in agricultural applications, as well as being the subject of scientific research aimed at developing sustainable solutions.

Operations are monitored and inspected monthly by the State Environmental Institute (INEA), with periodic disclosure of data on movement, reuse, and safety.

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