Steel snails have been used in at least 216 places in the Netherlands. That is almost twice as much as previous research showed. Thanks in part to a large number of reader tips, NU.nl and Investico have found more than a hundred new locations where the polluting residual product lies from the steel industry.
In April, NU.nl and Investico first published a map with 115 different places with steel snails, from hiking trails to road grounds and a sound barrier. But it was immediately clear that this overview is far from complete. The use of the gravel-like material, which can lead to health and environmental damage, has not been registered for decades.
We therefore asked readers to send in tips. The mailbox was full of photos of “mysterious” gravel that kept sticking to a magnet, stories about dogs that got red eyes after a walk and a message from a former lock master who saw ships full of steel snails.
Based on almost 250 tips, NU.nl and Investico went to research, in collaboration with De Groene Amsterdammer , Omroep Zeeland and the Noordhollands Dagblad . We came to municipalities, provinces, nature managers and many other organizations to check whether there were steel snails on paths or in the soil. This often turned out to be the case: from a beach in Zeeland to hiking trails in the Zuid-Kennemerland National Park and road foundations in an Edese residential area.
The new locations have been added to the map below if they have been confirmed by official authorities or documents.
Steel snails removed here and there
The earlier investigation led to questions in all kinds of municipal councils and provincial states. Some local authorities prepared their own list of locations. For example, the municipality of Bloemendaal managed to trace the material to the level of individual tree mirrors. The province of Limburg found out with soil drilling that steel snails were used as a foundation under all kinds of N roads.
A few locations have also disappeared from the map because municipalities have removed steel snails. That happened, for example, in Muiden, Amstelveen, Texel, The Hague and Heusden. Often it concerned paths or courtyards in residential areas or near playgrounds and schools. If people come into direct contact with the material, it can lead to bloody noses or even eye injury.
Environmental supervisors hope to get a better view of the places where the material is all used. For years they want construction companies to have to report it before they start using steel snails, but until recently the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management saw nothing in such a reporting obligation.
Under pressure from the House of Representatives, the Ministry has now introduced a temporary ban on most of the applications of steel snails. In the meantime, work is being done on rules for the longer term.
There is increasingly clear about the health and environmental risks of steel snails. The current rules are insufficient to prevent soil pollution, experts recently said in the Lower House, after earlier warnings from supervisors.
In the past, the environmental standards have been expanded to continue to make the use of steel snails possible, an overview showed that the ministry published last month. Outgoing State Secretary Thierry Aartsen (Environment) now wants to work on stricter rules for the use of building materials in the soil.
Lots of information lost
The overview of 216 steel slag locations is still far from complete. Numerous reader tips seemed promising, but could not be verified. It was often about locations where the steel snails were allegedly deposited for decades ago. Inquiries usually showed that nothing was known about the presence of steel snails.
There are exceptions to that. For example, the manager of the De Liede business park, east of Haarlem, confirms that a foundation of ‘Hecketto-rubble’ was laid there in the early 1970s. This waste from the then blast furnaces in IJmuiden consisted partly of ground steel snails. The foundation material threatened to cause soil contamination, so was packed in the nineties. The groundwater is still closely monitored here.
Steel snails have also been used in other (former) industrial locations in the past. For example, numerous soil investigations in the municipality of Zaanstad show that there are ‘snails’ in the ground. But it is uncertain whether this concerns steel snails or other residual materials, such as the remains of waste incineration or coal -fired power stations.
“In the past centuries, all kinds of materials have been used in many places in Zaanstad to raise or strengthen the bottom and to dampen locks,” says a spokesperson for the municipality. “That was possible in the past without a permit or report. There was therefore no registration where the materials were applied.” The soil map of the municipality shows that there are soil contamination in many places.
More and more municipalities are not waiting for the government and are coming up with their own rules on steel snails. For example, some North Holland municipalities already introduced their own reporting obligation for steel snails. Beverwijk, directly adjacent to the Tata Steel factory from which 650,000 tons of steel snails roll out annually, was the first to announce a total ban on the use of the material last week. “We don’t want to take any risks for the environment and health in Beverwijk,” said D66 alderman Suzanne Klaassen.
Steel Slag Has Been Used in at Least 216 Locations in the Netherlands. That is almost twice as much as previous research showed. Thanks in part to a Large Number of tips from Readers, NU.nl and Investico Have Found More than a Hundred New Locations Where the Polluting Residual Product From The Steel Industry is locationed.
In April, Nu.nl and Investico First published a Map with 115 Different Locations Where Steel Battle is locationed, from Footpaths to Road Foundations and a Noise Barrier. But it was immediately clear that this overview is far from complete. The use of the gravel-like Material, which can lead to health and environmental damage, has not leg registered for decades.
We Therefore Asked Readers to Send in Tips. The mailbox filled with photos of “mysterious” gravel that stuck to a magnet, stories about dogs getting red eyes after a walk, and a message from a former locker who saw ships full of steel battle enter.
Based on Almost 250 tips, NU.nl and Investico Conducted Research, in Collaboration with De Groene Amsterdammer , Omroep Zeeland and the Noordhollands Dagblad . We approached muticialities, provinces, nature managers and numerous other organizations to check Whether there was steel stroke on paths or in the soil. This of turned out to be the case: from a Beach in Zeeland to Hiking Trails in the South Kennemerland National Park and Road Foundations in A Residential Area of Ede.
The New Locations Have Been Added to the Map Below, If they have leg Confirmed by Official Bodies or Documents.
Steel stroke removed here and there
The Earlier Research LED to Questions in Various Municipal Councils and Provincial Councils. Some local authorities Drew up their own list of locations. For example, The Municipality of Bloemendaal was Able to Trace the Material Down to the Level of Individual Tree Mirrors. The Province of Limburg Discovered through Soil Drilling That Steel Battle is Used as a Foundation Under All Kinds of N Roads.
Some locations have also disappeared from the map because municipalities have removed steel slag. This happened, for example, in Muiden, Amstelveen, Texel, The Hague and Heusden. It often concerned paths or courtyards in residential areas or near playgrounds and schools. If people come into direct contact with the material, this can lead to nosebleeds or even eye damage.
Environmental supervisors hope to gain a better picture of the places where the material is used. They have been wanting construction companies to report it for years before they start using steel slag, but until recently the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management saw no need for such a reporting obligation.
Under pressure from the House of Representatives, the ministry has now introduced a temporary ban on most applications of steel slag. Meanwhile, rules are being worked on for the longer term.
More and more is becoming clear about the health and environmental risks of steel slag. The current rules are insufficient to prevent soil pollution, experts recently said in the House of Representatives, after earlier warnings from supervisors.
In the past, environmental standards have been relaxed to keep the use of steel slag possible, according to an overview published by the ministry last month. Outgoing State Secretary Thierry Aartsen (Environment) now wants to work on stricter rules for the use of building materials in the soil.
Much information lost
The overview of 216 steel battle locations is still far from complete. Numerous tips from readers seemed promising, but could not be verified. This often concerned locations where the steel battle would have been dumped decades ago. When asked, it usually turned out that those involved no longer knew anything about the presence of steel slag.
There are exceptions to this. For example, the manager of the De Liede industrial estate, east of Haarlem, confirms that a foundation of ‘Heckett rubble’ was laid there in the early 1970s. This waste from the former Hoogovens in IJmuiden consisted partly of ground steel slag. The foundation material threatened to cause soil contamination, so it was packaged in the 1990s. The groundwater is still closely monitored here.
Steel slag is also suspected of having been used in the past at other (former) industrial locations. For example, numerous soil surveys in the municipality of Zaanstad show that there is ‘slag’ in the soil. But it is uncertain whether these concerns steel slag or other residual materials, such as the remains of waste incineration or coal-fired power plants.
“In recent centuries, all kinds of materials have been used in many places in Zaanstad to raise or strengthen the soil and to help fill in ditches,” says a spokesperson for the municipality. “That was possible in the past without a permit or notification. No registration has therefore taken place of where the materials have been used.” The municipality’s soil map does show that soil contamination is present in many places.
More and more municipalities are not waiting for the central government and are coming up with their own rules regarding steel battle. For example, some North Holland municipalities have already introduced their own reporting obligation for steel slag. Beverwijk, directly adjacent to the Tata Steel factory, which produces 650,000 tons of steel slag annually, was the first to announce a total ban on the use of the material last week. “We do not want to take any risks for the environment and health in Beverwijk,” said D66 alderman Suzanne Klaassen.