Crafting of a decarbonisation strategy for the South African foundry industry: a roadmap towards sustainable metal casting

Abstract

The South African government is committed to achieve a net zero CO2 emission by the year 2050. To that end, all major manufacturing sectors are required to reduce their carbon emissions. This study proposes a framework based on CO2 emission scopes to identify all processes involved in cast iron production using the sand-casting foundry process. Through a systematic review of international publications, it pinpoints CO2 sources in the upstream, internal, and downstream processes. Recommendations for reducing CO2 include finding alternatives to pig iron, improving its smelting process, and enhancing energy management in foundries. These energy conservation measures will greatly benefit the South African cast iron foundry sector to contribute to reducing the impact of climate change effects in South Africa.