Introduction: A Label With No Agreed Meaning
“Low-carbon” or “green” steel can mean scrap-based electric-arc-furnace metal, hydrogen-reduced iron, mass-balance-allocated tonnes, or simply “below industry average.” The phrase is a marketing term, not a defined standard — so specify the number, not the adjective.
Procurement teams increasingly ask for “low-carbon steel.” The trouble is that nobody has to agree what it means. The same two words cover wildly different production realities and claim qualities. Here is the spectrum — and how to write a specification that cannot be greenwashed.
The Spectrum Behind the Label
| What “low-carbon” might mean | What to check |
|---|---|
| Scrap-based electric arc furnace | Genuinely low direct emissions; confirm scrap share and the electricity basis |
| Direct-reduced iron (gas) | Lower than blast furnace, but not zero; check the reductant |
| Hydrogen-reduced iron (“green”) | Only as clean as the hydrogen; confirm it is renewable, not grey |
| Mass-balance / book-and-claim allocation | The specific tonnes may not be physically low-carbon; check the chain-of-custody claim |
| Offset-backed “carbon neutral” | Offsets are not lower production emissions; treat separately |
| “Below industry average” | Average of what, and how far below? Ask for the figure |
How to Specify It Without Getting Greenwashed
Replace the adjective with evidence. Require: a verified EN 15804 EPD with the +A2 GWP breakdown; the stated production route; the electricity basis (grid or renewable PPA); and, if a mass-balance claim is made, its chain-of-custody rules. Better still, specify a GWP threshold per tonne — a number a supplier either meets or does not — rather than a word they can interpret freely. And read the EPD properly: see how to read an EPD like an auditor and how Module D can flatter a figure.
How EPD Polska / Multicert Can Help
We verify the EPDs and emissions data behind low-carbon steel claims, so buyers specify on evidence, not adjectives. Contact us.
FAQ
Is “green steel” a regulated term?
No. It has no single legal definition; substantiate any claim with a verified EPD and the production route.
Does mass-balance steel count as low-carbon?
It depends on the chain-of-custody rules; the specific tonnes you receive may not be physically low-carbon. Check the claim before relying on it.