The move away from making steel from scratch using iron ore and coal to recycling metal in a new £1.25bn electric arc furnace could lead to a "90% reduction in dust from the works' chimneys", Tata has claimed. But for Port Talbot, the prospect of cleaner air comes at a cost - with around 2000 jobs lost.

Today marks the end at one of the biggest steelworks in the world as the last blast furnace at Port Talbot in Wales shuts down, leaving it unable to make its own steel.

STEEL workers vowed to continue to fight for the industry as Tata Steel prepares to close down its last blast furnace at its Port Talbot plant today. Community Union general secretary Roy Rickhuss said: “Today marks an incredibly sad and poignant day for the British steel industry and for the communities in and around Port Talbot,

Future steelmaking in Port Talbot will rely on imports until an electric furnace, which melts scrap steel, is built. Owen Midwinter, who is from Port Talbot, has already finished his last shift in the blast furnace control room.

Photographers have documented the impact of the closure of the second blast furnace at Tata Steel.

End of an era as last blast furnace shuts down at Port Talbot steelworks - Nearly 2,000 jobs will be lost at Tata Steel UK’s plant as production switches to low-carbon steel making.