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EIT RawMaterials: Purified Metal Company (PMC) starts the construction of a recycling plant

EIT RawMaterials PMC

PMC starts the construction in Delfzijl, The Netherlands after completion of financing

The EIT RawMaterials supported start-up and now well-established SME – Purified Metal Company (PMC) will construct a large-scale state-of-the-art processing plant that recycles contaminated steel scrap (i.e. asbestos and other toxic materials) into a high-quality raw material for the steel industry.

Purified Metal Company is the first company in the world with an environmentally friendly and economically feasible method to recycle contaminated steel scrap into high-quality raw materials for the steel industry. PMC has participated in the EIT RawMaterials Booster and was nominated for the 2017 EIT Venture Award

The newly constructed plant will recycle and process contaminated steel which is harmful for the environment and people and will save 150 000 tons of CO2 per year compared to the production of steel from iron ore. This CO2 saving corresponds to the annual emissions of 45 000 passenger cars.

Co-founders Jan Henk Wijma and Bert Bult said: 'It was an intense process to connect the right parties to our ambitious plan for a circular solution for contaminated steel scrap. But ultimately our approach, the cooperation with leading parties, the innovative process and the comprehensive business case were decisive. Now the recycling of contaminated steel scrap from, for example, trains, industrial installations, buildings and oil rigs can actually be realized. This is great news, as currently the contaminated steel scrap is still being dumped in landfills which is harmful for the environment and people. We are very grateful for the contribution of EIT RawMaterials that helped the success of this project.'

After realizing the first factory in the Netherlands, Purified Metal Company aims to roll out the innovative and patented process for the recycling of contaminated steel scrap in the rest of Europe and the world.

The company expects that the factory will be operational by July 2020 at the latest.


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