Annual 150,000 tonnes of contaminated steel scrap processed into high-grade raw materials for steel and foundry sector
Purified Metal Company (PMC) recently started construction of a circular steel plant in Delfzijl. Upon completion, the brand-new recycling plant will be able to process up to 150,000 tonnes of contaminated steel scrap annually into new high-quality raw materials for the steel and foundry industries. The innovative facility, which will be operational in 2020, is expected to create some 68 direct jobs.
PMC developed a globally new and patented process that allows it to recycle contaminated steel into high-quality raw materials. According to the company, this method is not only safer for people and the environment, but also ensures that contaminated steel is processed safely and given a new purpose. With the construction of the plant in Delfzijl, PMC is literally and figuratively putting this recycling process into action.
In a closed plant, steel waste contaminated with asbestos, heavy metals or organic components will be heated to 1,500 °C starting next year. Thus, asbestos fibres are rendered harmless and other serious contaminants are captured and rendered harmless in an advanced flue-gas cleaning plant. What remains is cleaned steel scrap, a useful raw material for the steel industry. Asbestos, too, which has been converted into a sand- and glass-like product, can be used as a foundation material in construction. Not only does PMC thereby solve a waste problem, but also factories using PMC's blocks emit half as much CO2 as factories producing steel from iron ore. The Delfzijl site was chosen after PMC visited several sites in the Netherlands and held several talks with local and regional authorities.
