CASE STUDY

Zinc is for life

Zinc for LifeYou can take it in a vitamin pill or use it for the construction of a modern building. It helps crops grow and protects steel from rust. The International Zinc Association (IZA) is just one of the global commodity associations that is committed to demonstrating how the metal is making an important contribution to a healthier and more sustainable society.

To highlight zinc’s sustainability credentials, IZA has been running the Zinc for Life program for the last three years – the aim being to position zinc as the environmental and social material of choice. The “Life” part not only means a lasting material that can be found – for example – in buildings and cars, but also a life-giving mineral that, according to the 2008 Copenhagen Consensus (www.copenhagenconsensus.com), can address one of the world’s biggest problems in a cost-effective way. Zinc and vitamin A can be given to malnourished children, resulting in better health and fewer deaths, and providing a return of $17 for every dollar spent. To this end, a new program has been initiated by IZA with UNICEF and the Micronutrient Initiative to raise funds and address this global health issue.

The Zinc for Life program has involved gathering hard scientific data to support the sustainability message. IZA has been gathering what it terms “cradle-to-gate” Life Cycle Inventories (LCIs) for primary zinc and for key first-stage uses (e.g. galvanizing which accounts for more than 50 per cent of the market).

“In addition to providing sustainability information on zinc for stakeholders, including engineers, architects and other specifiers, our member companies can benchmark their own performance in areas such as energy use, carbon, water use and chemical releases,” says Andrew Green, Director of Environment and Sustainability at IZA. Member companies, miners among them, can then look for ways to improve their sustainability performance and the performance of the zinc industry as a whole. Zinc for Life has also led to a number of follow-up LCIs for specific zinc products, including sheets, structural beams and die-cast materials. LCI and the follow-up Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) process have become important sustainability drivers, both in helping to inform the market and improve performance.

The downstream approach, aided by this LCI/LCA engine, is to keep the market informed as to why zinc should be a material of sustainable choice. Zinc nutrient additions for crops, says Green, is a new target as zinc “can support a better crop in terms of more production and nutritional value”.

Add to this a construction material that is lasting, low maintenance and recyclable, plus the health benefits, and you have Zinc for Life in a nutshell.

www.zincforlife.org

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CASE STUDY DETAILS

Published
06 September 2010
Company
International Zinc Association

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SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK

Principle 04:

Implement risk management strategies based on valid data and sound science.

Principle 08:

Facilitate and encourage responsible product design, use, re-use, recycling and disposal of our products.

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