Good environmental performances are a condition of Höganäs' long-term success and a competitive edge in its offering to customers. The effective utilisation of raw materials, energy and minimising waste are in focus in its environmental work. Höganäs' environmental policy demands continuous improvement in the segment, and there is a direct link between environmental activities and financial outcomes. More efficient consumption of resources and energy generate savings for the short and long-term.

Systematic environmental activities create a long-term pay-off for Höganäs. Other conditions for achieving improvement are undisrupted, consistent production, as well as reliable decontamination equipment. This sets high standards for employees' technical skills, as well as their understanding of the environmental impact of operations.

Höganäs works according to the ISO 14001 environmental management system and all production plants are certified and regularly inspected by a third party. This generates the continuous improvement of processes and staff environmental knowledge. The Company also evaluates its suppliers' environmental activities, encouraging them to implement certified environmental management systems.

Conditions applying to operations
In all countries where Höganäs has production, permits are required for producing metal powder. These permits primarily regulate production volumes, airborne and waterborne emissions, noise and waste. The permits are for a predetermined period or until further notice and Höganäs has them for all production facilities.

Consumption of resources
Höganäs endeavours to reduce the consumption of resources, and thus its environmental impact. Some two-thirds of production is based on recycled material, scrap iron. The remainder is based on virgin iron ore. Virgin iron ore is still necessary in some products with the characteristics and qualities customers need.
Höganäs is particularly active in the Swedish Steel Producers’ Association, in a number of segments that are highly relevant to the Company. One of these projects is in recycling slag, a residual product from iron smelting, as a construction material, for example. This may further streamline the consumption of resources.

Reduced emissions
Emissions of carbon dioxide are inevitable in the production of iron and steel, due to the usage of carbon in the production process. Höganäs pursues continuous efforts to reduce its airborne emission volumes. Emissions per ton of material produced have reduced progressively since the mid-1980s.