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Source: The post is based on the article “Union Minister says, India has developed the world’s latest Steel Slag Road technology” published in PIB on 17th July 2023
What is the News?
The Union Minister of Science & Technology has announced that India has developed the world’s latest Steel Slag Road technology.
What is Slag?
Slag is made up of impurities melted out of the ore during the steel-making process in most of the Steel Plants.
Use of Steel Slag in Road construction:
CSIR- Central Road Research Institute (CRRI), New Delhi has pioneered the development of use of Steel slag in road construction.
In 2022, Surat in Gujarat became the first city in the country to get a processed steel slag (industrial waste) road.
The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has also used steel slag to construct a long-lasting heavy-duty road at Arunachal Pradesh along the India-China border area.
Besides, India’s largest road building agency, National Highway Authority of India successfully tested the Steel Slag Road technology on NH-66 (Mumbai- Goa).
What are the advantages of using Steel Slag in road construction?
Environment friendly: India is the world’s second largest steel producer. For per ton of steel production around 200 kg Steel slag is generated as solid waste.
– Steel slag generation in the country is about 19 Million tons per annum and expected to reach 60 million tons by 2030.
– This huge quantity of steel slag is piled up in and around the steel plants as big mounds and becoming the source of air, water, and land pollution.
– Hence, the use of steel slag in road construction is an environmentally friendly cost-effective method.
Cheaper: Steel slag road costs are about 30% cheaper than conventional making of roads.
Less Maintenance cost: Steel slag roads have been found to last ten years as compared to three to four years for bitumen roads, thus bringing down sharply the maintenance costs.
More durable: Steel slag roads are more durable and resistant to weather unpredictability.
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