Teesside research centre secures six-figure funding to develop road surfacing material from industrial waste

A research and innovation centre in Teesside has secured six-figure government funding to explore the conversion of steelmaking slag into road surfacing material.

The Materials Processing Institute, in collaboration with industry and research partners, has secured a £118,363 grant from Innovate UK in order to develop the material as well as reducing industrial waste.

The Institute will collaborate with Tarmac, British Steel, Glass Futures Ltd and PWS road building services on the 12-month project, which aims to increase the silica content of the slag, enabling greater use on UK roads and reducing waste through reuse.

The news comes weeks after the centre was awarded £22m by chancellor Rishi Sunak to deliver a five-year programme aimed at revolutionising the steels and metals sector.

Chris McDonald, chief executive of the Institute, commented: “We are delighted to have been awarded the funds for this innovative project that will seek to repurpose materials that are either already destined for landfill or difficult to reuse.

“The UK steel industry produces around 550,000 tonnes of coarse steelmaking slag annually. A commercially viable material will reduce waste, contribute to the circular economy and increase the competitiveness of the steelmaker, glass producer and material processor.

“We are confident this investment will pay dividends for the UK economy and further enhance this country’s expertise in research and innovation.”