Dutch minister visits Tarmac asphalt plant

Tarmac recently welcomed Anett Bertram, Dutch Minister for Infrastructure and Water Management, to its Santon Asphalt Plant in Scunthorpe to show how materials created during steelmaking can be given a new life in roads and infrastructure.

The visit included a tour of the plant and a first-hand look at how steel slag, a by-product of steel manufacturing, is repurposed into construction materials.

Tarmac processes steel slag into high-quality aggregates for asphalt and other construction materials used to build new homes and infrastructure. Its strength and durability also make it ideal for creating hard-wearing, skid-resistant roads.
Reusing steel slag reduces demand for newly quarried aggregates and keeps a valuable material in use, supporting a circular construction economy.

Located directly on the industrial site of the British Steel steelworks in Scunthorpe, the Santon Asphalt Plant uses Tarmac’s established road and rail network to receive raw materials and supply asphalt for construction projects across the region.

Matthew Pencharz, Government Affairs Director at Tarmac, said: “It was an honour to welcome Minister Bertram and her team to our Santon Asphalt Plant to explore the role steel slag can play in more sustainable construction.

“Tarmac has more than 40 years’ experience of processing slag into high-quality construction materials, giving us valuable expertise to share. By exchanging knowledge and best practice, we can explore new approaches and learn from others across the industry to help move construction forward.

“As a CRH company, we benefit from a global network of colleagues and industry experts who share knowledge, best practices and technical expertise. This culture of collaboration is a key part of how we work at Tarmac.”

Anett Bertram, Dutch Minister for Infrastructure and Water Management, said: “In the Netherlands, we have taken steps to restrict the use of steel slags. At the same time, steel slags are an unavoidable by-product of steel production. This means we need to find safe and sustainable ways to reuse this material. This visit is part of our efforts to learn from practical experience.”