Hyundai Steel is the first company in the world to develop a technology that can completely eliminate emissions from its blast furnaces, the company said Tuesday.

According to South Korea’s No. 2 steelmaker, it has successfully “purified” hazardous gas inside a blast furnace using the “First Safety Valve,” during the process of re-ventilating hot air inside the furnace after general maintenance.

After toxic gas emissions at its furnace breathers were pointed out by environmental groups in March 2019, the steel company immediately got in contact with a European engineering company and developed the valve in three months.

The company said it has installed the First Safety Valve in all of its furnaces throughout the country, after first testing the technology at Dangjin Integrated Steelworks in South Chungcheong Province in January.

“Hyundai Steel’s First Safety Valve is safe equipment, and we will provide active support with the technology if domestic or foreign steel mills want to install the valves,” an official at the Dangjin steel mill said.

Thanks to the new technology, Hyundai said it has reinforced its position as an environment-friendly steelmaker.

The safety valve measures 1.5 meters in diameter and 223 meters in length, and Hyundai Steel has also applied for a patent in Europe, the company added.

Hyundai Steel said it signed an agreement with Dangjin City in October to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and to invest 490 billion won in a clean environment over five years, starting in 2021.

By Jo He-rim (herim@heraldcorp.com)