Rethinking Waste: Greeniron’s Path to Enabling Cleaner Metals, with Edward Murray
In the latest episode of The Re:make, we had the pleasure of speaking with Edward Murray, CEO and co-founder of GreenIron, a company that is redefining how we think about waste in the mining and metals industry. GreenIron’s mission is simple but powerful: ”Our mission – No emission”.

But this isn’t just a story of a cutting-edge startup. It’s also a story of legacy, as Edward’s journey traces back to an invention his father, Hans Murray, pioneered in the 1960s—a process for producing fossil-free steel long before the world was ready for it.
Long before recycling and carbon neutrality became priorities, Hans Murray developed a process that used hydrogen to reduce iron ore and industrial waste, producing only water as a byproduct. While it was a groundbreaking innovation, it was also too far ahead of its time. In the 1960s and 70s, CO₂ emissions weren’t a concern, and recycling was barely understood. The project was shelved.
Fast forward to 2015: Inspired by the Paris Agreement and his growing awareness of climate challenges, Edward revisited his father’s invention. Could it work today? The answer was yes—especially with technological advances and a shifting global focus on decarbonization. By 2018, GreenIron was born, co-founded by Edward and Hans.
Beyond Scrap: A New Way to Enable Cleaner Metals
”Let’s not throw stuff away. Let’s find use for our waste. Let’s become more efficient.” – Edward Murray
Unlike traditional recycling, which focuses on steel scrap, GreenIron recycles waste and residuals – materials that are often discarded, stockpiled, or landfilled – while also enabling emission free processing of virgin ore. This is a crucial distinction. By recovering valuable metals from industrial residues, GreenIron helps companies reduce waste, cut emissions, and secure critical raw materials that would otherwise be lost.
This approach aligns perfectly with Europe’s push for circularity and resource efficiency. Instead of extracting more virgin materials, we can rethink waste as an opportunity to build cleaner, more sustainable metals.
Collaboration as a Catalyst
GreenIron isn’t just innovating in technology—it’s pioneering a new way of working in the industry. Collaboration is at the heart of their model, with partnerships spanning:
✅ Major industrial players like Rio Tinto and ArcelorMittal to explore ways to recover and reuse materials.
✅ Hydrogen and energy providers like Statkraft and Norwegian Hydrogen to ensure sustainable energy supply for their process.
✅ Steel and foundry industries to develop solutions for reducing toxic waste and making operations more circular.
Edward emphasises that collaboration is key to scaling up climate solutions. No company can do it alone, and solving big problems like emissions in the metals industry requires strong partnerships across the value chain.
Lessons in Entrepreneurship: Playing the Long Game
Building a climate-tech company in a hard-to-abate industry comes with challenges. GreenIron launched just as COVID-19 hit, followed by supply chain disruptions, inflation, and geopolitical uncertainty. But Edward’s key lesson?
📌 ”You have to be long-term. Success doesn’t happen overnight.”
GreenIron is playing the long game, methodically scaling up and proving that decarbonizing metals is both possible and necessary. Their model—placing facilities close to waste sources to reduce transport emissions—demonstrates how industrial efficiency and environmental responsibility can go hand in hand.
The Future: Scaling Up for Impact
As GreenIron moves into 2025, the focus is clear:
🚀 Expanding production sites to process more waste into high-quality metals.
🌍 Supporting industries in reducing CO₂ emissions and increasing circularity.
🔋 Contributing to fossil-free steel, cement, and other industries that rely on metal recovery.
With industrial waste stockpiles containing critical raw materials, GreenIron isn’t just cleaning up the steel industry—it’s unlocking a more resilient, sustainable future for metals production as a whole.
Final Thoughts
Edward Murray’s journey with GreenIron proves that rethinking waste isn’t just about sustainability—it’s about business efficiency, resource security, and climate impact.
If you’re curious about how innovation, collaboration, and perseverance can transform the future of metals, don’t miss this episode of The Re:make!
🎧 Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you find your podcasts!
Read more about GreenIron