Construction companies that take polluting steel slag from Tata Steel can receive a substantial amount of money for doing so. This emerged this week during a lawsuit against a company and two subcontractors suspected of environmental pollution with steel slag in Hellevoetsluis.
Pelt & Hooykaas, a company being criminally investigated by the Public Prosecution Service (OM), markets the steel slag on behalf of Tata Steel. But there appears to be no actual sale: in 2018, a subcontractor in Hellevoetsluis actually received 6.65 euros per ton of steel slag, according to the OM. Pelt & Hooykaas also paid for the transport by ship; the contractor only had to pay for the transport from the ship.
Ultimately, the subcontractor hoped to build an artificial hill 30 meters high to attract tourists along the N57 highway. The so-called ‘Landmark’ would contain 750,000 tons of steel slag, more than Tata Steel’s annual production. Pelt & Hooykaas would pay the contractor a total of 5 million euros to take the gravel-like material.
It didn’t get that far. After 63,000 tons of steel slag had been dumped in the polder near Hellevoetsluis to construct a temporary road and a dredging depot, the work was halted. By then, many local residents had complained: they were experiencing health problems from the dust of the steel slag.
The material, which is created during steel production, contains unslaked lime. Inhalation or contact with the eyes causes complaints. These complaints were reported on a large scale by local residents. People said they suffered from nosebleeds, coughing fits, and even burns from the steel slag dust. Animals also became ill. “It has had a significant impact on us,” said Cora van Mook, one of the local residents, during the hearing.
‘Steel Slag is Dangerous’
It has been known for some time that buyers of steel slag can sometimes receive money, but details were not known until now. Critics see the negative value as proof that steel slag should actually be classified as waste instead of as a byproduct that can be used in construction. European law states that something can only be a byproduct if there is a certain market for it and if it does not cause environmental damage.
“The essence is that steel slag is dangerous,” said the public prosecutor. “And the one who needs to dispose of steel slag, Tata Steel, knows that.” Therefore, according to the OM, the material is sold in large quantities to projects “that do not appear to be aimed at efficient reuse, but at maximum volume.”
In various places in the Netherlands, this has led to environmental damage when the steel slag has come into contact with rainwater or groundwater. This also happened in Hellevoetsluis, where rainwater with the acidity of drain cleaner eventually ran into a ditch. In the summer of 2019, the steel slag in Hellevoetsluis was removed and moved to Oude-Tonge, where environmental damage occurred again.
According to N57 Holding, the client for the work in Hellevoetsluis, the value of the steel slag had since fallen further: 12.50 euros per ton had to be paid to the new buyer. The company says it did not know that the subcontractor was planning to use steel slag in the work.
OM Demands Community Service
The OM demanded community service sentences of 180 and 100 hours respectively against two suspects who had planned and carried out the work with the steel slag. A fine of 75,000 euros was demanded against client N57.
The defendants’ lawyers pointed out that no permanent soil or groundwater pollution had occurred in Hellevoetsluis. They say they have met all the conditions that Pelt & Hooykaas sets for steel slag to be used safely.
But the public prosecutor quoted a statement from the director of the steel slag supplier, who says that the company was not aware of the plans to build a temporary road and dredging depot with it. Had the company known that, “we would not have agreed to the delivery,” the director reportedly said.
Pelt & Hooykaas does not want to respond substantively to the case to NU.nl, but says that with steel slag “there are price fluctuations that are partly a result of supply and demand in the market.” According to the company, the material is rightly seen as a byproduct and not as waste.
Christiaan V., one of the suspects in the Hellevoetsluis case, thinks differently. “I am still surprised that this stuff is allowed to be used,” he said during the hearing. “There are dumb geese like me who then walk into that at a certain point.”
House of Representatives Wants Ban
The House of Representatives has called for a complete halt to the use of steel slag with a motion. It is not yet known how and when outgoing State Secretary Thierry Aartsen (Infrastructure and Water Management) can do that.
Supervisor ILT has repeatedly pointed out that the current laws and regulations cannot prevent environmental damage from steel slag. Therefore, there will be a mandatory reporting requirement next year for anyone who still wants to use the material.