Product sustainability information
TRUECORE® steel is responsibly produced, designed for longevity and can contribute to a circular economy.
Our commitment
We’re committed to creating steel products that positively impact our communities and the built environment.
Enduring by design
Framing made from TRUECORE® steel is strong, durable, and versatile, making it a good choice for homes and buildings designed for long life.
Suitable for reuse
Frames made from TRUECORE® steel can support circular design strategies, including designing for disassembly and reuse. They can be screw assembled and are highly suitable for modular design.
Long Lasting
TRUECORE® steel incorporates industry leading Activate® metallic coating technology, enhancing the corrosion resistance of the steel base and providing longer-lasting protection for your steel frame. This durability can help conserve resources and energy that may otherwise be spent on products with shorter lifespans.
Resource efficiency
Wastage may be kept to a minimum with steel frames in both the fabrication and construction processes. Frames made from TRUECORE® steel are often fabricated to exact specifications using specialist software, resulting in minimal cutting onsite. Any waste generated throughout the value chain can be recovered and returned to the steelmaking process.
100% recyclable steel
TRUECORE® steel contains recycled content and the steel itself is 100% recyclable without loss of quality. Thanks to steel’s magnetic properties, it can be easily separated for recycling, reducing the likelihood of it ending up in landfill.
Our ongoing progress
Embodied carbon and climate action
BlueScope strives to reduce the embodied carbon of our products and is driving towards net zero Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions by 20501, covering direct (Scope 1) and indirect (Scope 2) emissions across our operational footprint.
Between FY2013 and FY2024 the emissions intensity of Port Kembla Steelworks, where the steel in TRUECORE® steel is manufactured, decreased by 16%.
Responsible products and supply chain
TRUECORE® steel’s product sustainability credentials are supported by BlueScope’s company-wide sustainability initiatives including responsible sourcing and supply chain sustainability. Our ResponsibleSteel™ certifications at Port Kembla Steelworks (NSW) and Western Port Works (VIC) solidify our position as a leader in sustainability within the steel sector.
Product transparency
We provide information about the environmental impacts of TRUECORE® steel through an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD). The EPD and reputable certifications, such as Global GreenTagCertTM GreenRate™ and ResponsibleSteel™ site certification, can help support our customer’s decision making and sustainability objectives. They can also contribute to the achievement of credits under green building rating schemes, such as Green Star and IS Rating.
Recycled content
Across the range of steel products manufactured by BlueScope in Australia, the average recycled content in the steel is 25%, which includes pre- and post-consumer recycled materials2.
Our credentials
Our products, product disclosures and operations are recognised by several third-party programs including:
ResponsibleSteel™
The steel in TRUECORE® steel is manufactured at BlueScope’s Port Kembla Steelworks, and coated at Springhill Works in NSW and Western Port Works in VIC, all of which certified to ResponsibleSteel™ Standard Version 1.1. Selecting products from a ResponsibleSteel™ certified site can give consumers confidence that the steel has been sourced and produced responsibly. It can also give organisations in the steel value chain confidence in the environmental, social and governance performance of steelmaking facilities, and may help them to meet their climate objectives and manage supply chain risks.
EPD Australasia
An Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) published by EPD Australasia is available for TRUECORE® steel. The EPD has been independently verified and communicates transparent data about the life cycle and environmental impacts of TRUECORE® steel. Having an independently verified EPD can contribute to the achievement of credits under green building rating schemes, such as Green Star and IS Rating.
Green Star™
The combination of the EPD for TRUECORE® steel, alongside its Global GreenTagCertTM GreenRate™ ‘Level A’ rating and the ResponsibleSteel™ certification for Port Kembla Steelworks, equates to a Responsible Product Value (RPV) of 21 in the Green Building Council of Australia’s (GBCA) Responsible Products Score Checker. This is considered ‘Best Practice’ under the GBCA’s Responsible Products Programme and may contribute to a project’s Green Star rating. The EPD for TRUECORE® steel can also contribute information to credits relating to life cycle impacts and upfront carbon. BlueScope is proud to be a long-standing member and supporter of Green Building Council of Australia.
Global GreenTagCertTM GreenRate™
TRUECORE® steel is certified to internationally recognised ecolabel Global GreenTagCertTM GreenRate™ achieving the highest rating, Level A.
Infrastructure Sustainability (IS) Rating Scheme
Using TRUECORE® steel manufactured by BlueScope in Australia can assist in gaining credits for the Infrastructure Sustainability (IS) Rating Scheme.
Steel Sustainability Australia (SSA)
BlueScope is a verified supplier under the Steel Sustainability Australia (SSA) programme, meeting best practice ESG standards in the manufacturing of semi-finished steel products.
Design for sustainable outcomes
“Steel lends itself to structures designed for long life, resilience and flexibility, to accommodate multiple future reuse options without the need for reinvestment in structural alteration or refurbishment. It is ideal for designs where end of life considerations are key, such as designing for disassembly and reuse.”
Sustainability resources
Download our sustainability brochures and the EPD for TRUECORE® steel
Sustainability news
Against a backdrop of global material shortages, increasing labour costs, affordable housing shortages, and a rapidly changing climate, the Australian construction industry must continually adapt to address these challenges with purposeful and responsible solutions.
TRUECORE® steel is manufactured at a ResponsibleSteel™ certified site. ResponsibleSteel™ is the steel industry’s first global multi-stakeholder standard and certification initiative.
BlueScope has published an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) providing transparency for the environmental impacts of TRUECORE® steel.
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1. We acknowledge that achieving this goal is highly dependent on several enablers, including the development and diffusion of ironmaking technologies to viable and commercial scale; access to appropriate quality and sufficient quantities of economic raw materials; access to internationally cost-competitive, firmed large-scale renewable energy; availability of competitively priced green hydrogen, with natural gas enabling the transition to green hydrogen; and supportive and consistent policy policies across all of these enablers to underpin decarbonisation.
2. According to recycled content categories defined in ISO 14021:2016. Scrap and iron-bearing materials generated and reclaimed from BlueScope’s steelmaking, including the BF-BOS process up to slab casting, represent 1.7% of the product mass, which is not reported as recycled content. Scrap arising from downstream processes, such as plate and coil milling, rolling, tempering, annealing, pickling, metallic coating, painting, rollforming and/or fabrication are included as pre-consumer recycled content. The figures provided are based on FY23 data.
