A collaboration between our subsidiary Sparks AS, Jacobi Group and Norwegian steel producer 7 Steel Nordic shows how a single change in air filtration can deliver measurable environmental results.
Our subsidiary Sparks AS has been featured in the latest edition of A Pure World, the industry publication of the Jacobi Group. The article highlights a long-standing collaboration between Sparks, activated carbon manufacturer Jacobi Group, and 7 Steel Nordic — one of the leading reinforcing steel producers in the Nordic region — that has led to an estimated annual CO₂ reduction of 1,000 tonnes [1].
One of the world’s cleanest steelworks
7 Steel Nordic operates a steelworks in Mo i Rana, near the Arctic Circle in northern Norway, where recycled scrap iron is converted into reinforcing steel. The facility runs on hydropower and is regarded as one of the cleanest steel production sites in the world.
Steel production inevitably releases harmful substances such as mercury and dioxins into the air. To capture these pollutants, the plant uses filters filled with activated carbon — a highly porous material that traps contaminants as gases pass through it. And it was exactly this part of the process where Geir Markussen, partner at Sparks AS, saw an opportunity to do things differently.
7 Steel Nordic’s steelworks in Mo i Rana is one of the cleanest steel production facilities in the world | © 7 Steel Nordic
Scrap iron is turned into some of Europe’s most sustainable reinforcing steel | © 7 Steel Nordic
How switching one material made the difference
When tightened Norwegian emission limits put pressure on 7 Steel Nordic’s existing filtration system, Sparks and Jacobi worked with the company to replace the conventional coal-based activated carbon in the filters with a coconut-based alternative. This coconut-based carbon has roughly half the carbon footprint of its coal-based counterpart, resulting in an estimated reduction of around 1,000 tonnes of CO₂ per year. To put that into perspective: you could drive a car for 4.35 million kilometres before emitting the same amount.
On top of the emissions reduction, the new material has also proven more durable in the filters, meaning fewer production shutdowns for maintenance. A significant cost saving for the steelworks.
Coconut shells — the renewable raw material behind the activated carbon used in 7 Steel Nordic’s filtration system. | © Jacobi Group
Coconut-based activated carbon: The porous granules trap harmful pollutants such as mercury and dioxins from the air. | © Jacobi Group
A milestone for the steel industry
“Reducing 1,000 tonnes of CO₂ from a single product in our production process is significant,” says Per Johan Högberg, Environmental Manager at 7 Steel Nordic Manufacturing.
Olaf Brastad, Senior Adviser at the Bellona Environmental Foundation (a Norwegian non-profit organisation dedicated to developing sustainable industry solutions) calls the achievement “a significant milestone for the entire industry” and “an excellent example of what can be achieved through targeted cooperation.”
1. Raw material
Coconut shells, a renewable by-product of the coconut industry, are cleaned, dried and crushed
Carbonisation
The shells are heated at low temperatures to remove moisture and volatile components, producing coconut shell charcoal.
3. Steam activation
The charcoal is passed through high-temperature kilns with a controlled flow of steam. This creates millions of microscopic pores — giving the material an internal surface area roughly equivalent to a football pitch per teaspoon.
Sparks: enabling sustainable transitions in heavy industry
The project reflects the broader mission of Sparks AS. Based in Asker, Norway, and part of the Diersch & Schröder Group, Sparks helps industrial customers across the Nordic region reduce their environmental footprint by replacing fossil-based products and chemicals with more sustainable alternatives. The company works across sectors including steel, aluminium, water treatment, biogas, and infrastructure — combining specialist expertise with the long-term perspective of a family-owned enterprise.
Projects like this show that sustainability in heavy industry isn’t about grand gestures — it’s about finding the right solution for a specific challenge, together with the right partners.
Geir Markussen, Partner at Sparks AS
The full article is published in Issue 6 of A Pure World, the Jacobi Group’s industry publication. Subscribe here
[1] Source: The estimated reduction of around 1,000 tonnes of CO2 per year is based on Jacobi’s Product Carbon Footprint Report, prepared for Sparks in July 2025. The calculation compares the carbon footprint of coconut-based and coal-based activated carbon and is based on the annual volume used by 7 Steel Nordic. According to the report, coconut-based activated carbon has a carbon footprint of 5.46 kg CO2e, compared with 11.8 kg CO2e for coal-based activated carbon.
