MTMaterial Transition · Public intelligence

Evidence-bound company brief · as of September 18, 2026

POSCO KRX: 005490

Integrated steelmaking, scrap-based production and steel by-product management

PO
Public materials brief.

POSCO has a disclosed material system at steelmaking scale: 2.092 million tonnes of ferrous scrap purchased in 2025, more than KRW 346 billion in other recycled-material purchases, and a stated target to keep by-product recovery at 98% or more. The useful work is to qualify one stream against one real destination, with chemistry, standard, logistics and buyer acceptance visible.

POSCO reports 2.092 million tonnes of domestic and imported scrap purchases in 2025, commercial low-carbon-steel sales using double scrap charging, and recycling of slag, dust and sludge. It also reports a by-product recycling rate above 98%. These disclosures do not establish a new supplier contract, available capacity or a project-specific buyer.

2.092M t2025 domestic and imported scrap purchases
>98%Reported steel by-product recycling rate
10%Target CO2 reduction for double scrap charging
2026Gwangyang EAF operation planned

Material inputs to resolve

  • Domestic and imported ferrous scrap
  • Steelmaking by-products including slag, dust and sludge
  • Recycled refractories and recoverable copper streams

Outputs and residuals to resolve

  • Steel products, including low-carbon steel routes
  • Cement-clinker substitute or aggregate-grade slag where standards permit
  • Recovered resources and managed designated waste
First decision: Select one physical stream and one compliant destination. Establish grade, chemistry, contamination, logistics, standard and buyer acceptance before modeling avoided virgin inputs.

Scrap system

POSCO reports 2.092 million tonnes of domestic and imported scrap purchased in 2025, costing KRW 939.6 billion.

Steel route

The company reports commercial sales of low-carbon steel made with double scrap charging and an EAF planned for Gwangyang operation in 2026.

By-product route

POSCO describes recycling slag, dust and sludge, with blast-furnace slag positioned for cement clinker substitution where the relevant standard and application permit it.

Evidence boundary

The public record supports these operations and targets. It does not identify a new feedstock source, contracted tonnage or project-level product allocation.

Decision boundary

POSCO has real scale in both scrap purchasing and by-product management. The first useful artifact is a material passport for one stream, not a company-wide circularity score.