The construction of 'waste' in the UK steel industry

Article


MacKillop, Fionn. 2009. "The construction of 'waste' in the UK steel industry." Journal of Environmental Planning and Management. 52 (2), pp. 177-194. https://doi.org/10.1080/09640560802666529
Article Title

The construction of 'waste' in the UK steel industry

ERA Journal ID5852
Article CategoryArticle
Authors
AuthorMacKillop, Fionn
Journal TitleJournal of Environmental Planning and Management
Journal Citation52 (2), pp. 177-194
Number of Pages18
Year2009
Place of PublicationOxford, United Kingdom
ISSN0964-0568
1360-0559
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1080/09640560802666529
Abstract

The steel industry has undergone profound changes of late with high profile takeovers (Tata-Corus and Mittal-Arcelor) that are part of a shift of the industry from the global North to the global South. Steel is probably the material of the globalised world with its icons and power horses (the aeroplane, the cargo ship, the automobile), it is extremely flexible in its applications, and fits into the current discourse on 'sustainability' because it is 'recyclable'. Indeed, the industry is keen to stress its 'green' credentials and efficient management of material flows in a context of rising costs, particularly of raw materials. Paradoxically, steel tends to be seen, not least by the social sciences, as an 'old-fashioned' and 'dirty' industry. This paper explores this apparent paradox through the issue of 'waste' management in the industry because it allows an analysis of the multi- dimensional relationships between materials, technologies and practices. Drawing on the resources of social as well as material sciences, the paper analyses to what extent 'waste' management is an issue of objective material properties, in contrast to social and organisational perceptions and practices around materials.

Keywordssteel; waste; governmentality; hybrid; Science, Technology and Society (STS); social construction
ANZSRC Field of Research 2020350799. Strategy, management and organisational behaviour not elsewhere classified
449999. Other human society not elsewhere classified
410404. Environmental management
Public Notes

Files associated with this item cannot be displayed due to copyright restrictions.

Byline AffiliationsDurham University, United Kingdom
Institution of OriginUniversity of Southern Queensland
Permalink -

https://research.usq.edu.au/item/q0v42/the-construction-of-waste-in-the-uk-steel-industry

  • 1846
    total views
  • 6
    total downloads
  • 0
    views this month
  • 0
    downloads this month

Export as

Related outputs

How and why are networks rolled out? A historical perspective
MacKillop, Fionn. 2005. "How and why are networks rolled out? A historical perspective." Le Gales, Patrick and Preteceille, Edmond (ed.) RC21: Cities as Social Fabric: Fragmentation and Integration. Paris, France 30 Jun - 02 Jul 2005 Paris, France.
Sustainable as a basis of affordable? Understanding the affordability 'crisis' in Australian housing
MacKillop, Fionn. 2013. "Sustainable as a basis of affordable? Understanding the affordability 'crisis' in Australian housing ." Australian Planner. 50 (1), pp. 2-12. https://doi.org/10.1080/07293682.2012.688839
Urban climatology applied to urban planning: a postwar knowledge circulation failure
Hebbert, Michael and MacKillop, Fionn. 2013. "Urban climatology applied to urban planning: a postwar knowledge circulation failure ." International Journal of Urban and Regional Research. 37 (5), pp. 1542-1558. https://doi.org/10.1111/1468-2427.12046
Steel, material flows, and globalisation: by-product optimisation and waste management in today's steel industry
MacKillop, F.. 2012. "Steel, material flows, and globalisation: by-product optimisation and waste management in today's steel industry." Metallurgical Research and Technology. 109 (3), pp. 139-147. https://doi.org/10.1051/metal/2012013
Climatic city: two centuries of urban planning and climate science in Manchester (UK) and its region
MacKillop, Fionn. 2012. "Climatic city: two centuries of urban planning and climate science in Manchester (UK) and its region." Cities. 29 (4), pp. 244-251. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cities.2011.10.002
Towards more sustainable water management? The challenges of water and land use in the Los Angeles metropolis
MacKillop, Fionn. 2010. Towards more sustainable water management? The challenges of water and land use in the Los Angeles metropolis. Saarbrucken, Germany. Editions Universitaires Europeennes.
Urban climatology and urban design, a history of (non) applied science
Hebbert, Michael and MacKillop, Fionn. 2010. "Urban climatology and urban design, a history of (non) applied science." Gulersoy, Nuran Zeren and Ayatac, Hatice (ed.) IPHS 2010: Urban Transformation: Controversies, Contrasts and Challenges. Istanbul, Turkey 12 - 15 Jul 2010
Steel and the global economic crisis
Swanton, Dan, MacKillop, Fionn and Hudson, Ray. 2009. "Steel and the global economic crisis." Eurasia Critic.
The Los Angeles 'Oligarchy' and the governance of water and power networks: The making of a municipal utility based on market principles (1902-1930)
MacKillop, Fionn. 2005. "The Los Angeles 'Oligarchy' and the governance of water and power networks: The making of a municipal utility based on market principles (1902-1930) ." Flux: International Scientific Quarterly on Networks and Territories.
Water and power networks and urban fragmentation in Los Angeles: rethinking assumed mechanisms
MacKillop, Fionn and Boudreau, Julie-Anne. 2008. "Water and power networks and urban fragmentation in Los Angeles: rethinking assumed mechanisms ." Geoforum. 39 (6), pp. 1833-1842. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoforum.2008.07.005