Background Wire rod is produced by the steel industry for a variety of important uses including wire rope, barbed wire, mesh, springs and nails. It may be galvanized or plastic-coated to prevent corrosion. During the manufacturing process, steel alloy is hot-rolled and its surface then chemically treated through a technique known as pickling, to remove the oxide scale layer which results. A particular shape and size of wire is achieved by drawing, which is a cold-forming process of stretching the wire by pulling it through a die to reduce its diameter. This requires lubrication to maintain good surface finish of the product and long life of the dies. Unfortunately, the established manufacturing method carries numerous harmful environmental impacts both for workers’ health and for the wider environment. It leaks dangerous acids - sulphuric and hydrochloric - and produces acid sludge and exhausted acids most of which cannot be recycled. It generates highly polluted waste water, has high energy consumption and results in other waste materials, such as sludge composed of lubricants which are used in large quantities and mix with wire rod scales at high temperatures. The process also involves a high level of road transport. Objectives The EU LIFE project ESD hoped to transform the steel-wire-rod production process by drastically reducing or eliminating the many dangerous environmental impacts of the existing system. In particular, it aimed to test an innovative way of cleaning the steel as an alternative to chemical pickling. It also aimed to reduce emissions of greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere, reduce waste and save energy, particularly during annealing – the process by which the strength and other properties of the steel used in wire rod production are improved through heating and cooling. The project aimed to develop and trial: A new mechanical dry descaling treatment which would reduce production of dangerous chemical wastes. A new drawing system using polycrystalline diamond dies and recyclable sodium lubricants. A low-energy-consumption thermal treatment process that works in a controlled atmosphere to replace the high-energy annealing process. A synchronized process and a continuous production line.The project also planned to circulate results within the industry and to professional institutes and other bodies involved with the environment. Results The ESD project achieved all its anticipated objectives. A new system for steel-rod-wire production was successfully developed and implemented with major environmental benefits. The project developed a new cold-drawing system that pulls the wire through polycrystalline diamond dies with a life ten-times longer than the usual tungsten carbide. This helps improve efficiency of the production line, facilitates sliding of the rod, increases working speed and greatly reduces use of lubricants. The sodium lubricants used can be removed and recovered at the end of the drawing phase. The new annealing process replaces heating in a gas oven with an electric process using a smaller oven. Cooling is achieved by using nitrogen instead of acid treatment. The length of the plant can be reduced by half. This enabled the beneficiary to eliminate one of two electric engines needed to wrap the wire spools. The project developed an innovative system for cleaning, which involves descaling the rods of iron oxides by using a mechanical system of three pulleys where the wire passes through grooves. A brushing press is used and the waste removed by suction. The environmental benefits of this process are substantial: Water consumption was almost completely eliminated. The use of acid was totally eliminated. Energy consumption was decreased in the various processes by between 59.4% and 35.3%. Lubricant consumption was reduced altogether in some areas and reduced by nearly 40% in others. Emissions of toxic gases into the environment and production of acid mud were eliminated. In Italy, where the project took place, approximately 1 700 000 tonnes of wire rod are processed every year. On this basis, environmental savings of the LIFE co-funded system equate to 72 000 tonnes of water consumption; 6 400 tonnes of sulphuric acid and 1 900 tonnes of hydrochloric acid production, and reduction in energy consumption of around 430 000 kcal per ton of product. Other benefits noted although not quantified included substantial improvements in the working environment and a decrease in product waste. The beneficiary believes the system can be developed on a large scale in the European wire industry, bringing benefit that would justify significant investment. They have circulated results to the major European firms in the sector and to professional bodies and environmental organisations. Disclaimer : This « results » section should be considered as a draft until the Commission has completed its evaluation . This project has been awarded the title of "Best of the Best" from a shortlist of 22 "Best" LIFE Environment projects in 2008-2009.