{"id":20696,"date":"2025-07-01T11:58:13","date_gmt":"2025-07-01T09:58:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.haslinger-nagele.com\/news\/rechtliche-klarstellungen-staerken-verwertung-von-stahlwerksschlacken\/"},"modified":"2025-08-05T13:31:48","modified_gmt":"2025-08-05T11:31:48","slug":"rechtliche-klarstellungen-staerken-verwertung-von-stahlwerksschlacken","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.haslinger-nagele.com\/en\/rechtliche-klarstellungen-staerken-verwertung-von-stahlwerksschlacken\/","title":{"rendered":"Legal clarifications strengthen the utilization of steel mill slags"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Two landmark rulings by the Austrian Supreme Administrative Court (VwGH)<\/strong> and the Regional Administrative Court of Styria (LVwG Stmk)<\/strong> are giving new momentum to the utilization of slags from steel production. These decisions address key issues concerning exemption from contributions pursuant to the Contaminated Sites Remediation Act (ALSAG)<\/strong> and classification as a by-product under the Waste Management Act 2002<\/strong> (AWG 2002)<\/strong>, potentially paving the way for more economically viable and legally secure uses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. ALSAG exemption from contributions for “steel mill slags”<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

On April 30th, 2025 (Ro 2024\/13\/0029 et al.)<\/strong>, the Austrian Supreme Administrative Court confirmed that not only slags generated at the end of the LD (Linz-Donawitz)<\/strong> process, but also those produced during the LD process, are exempt from the levy \u2013 provided they are used in road or civil engineering construction in a technically necessary and permissible manner with appropriate quality assurance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The question of ALSAG contribution exemption depends on the type of production (LD slag and electric arc furnace slag, but not, for example, stainless steel slag), regardless of the material composition or the point in the process at which the slag arises. Therefore, it is not necessary for the entire LD process to have been completed for the slag to qualify as “steel mill slag” within the meaning of section 3 para. 1a (11) ALSAG.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In summary, it can be said that the ruling of the Supreme Administrative Court supports a broad interpretation of the term “LD slag.” The reasoning provided by the court allows for all slags produced in an LD process to be considered exempt from the ALSAG levy. In light of the above, all slags generated in the LD process \u2013 regardless of their material composition or the point at which they are produced in the process \u2013 fall under the term “steel mill slags.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. By-product instead of waste: new opportunities for mine backfilling<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In its ruling of June 20th, 2025 (LVwG 46.24-3144\/2024-15)<\/strong>, the Regional Administrative Court of Styria (LVwG Steiermark)<\/strong> confirmed that slags from the LD process \u2013 in particular converter slag, CC slag, and REE slag \u2013 can be classified as by-products for the purpose of backfilling in mining operations<\/strong>. Consequently, they are not to be considered waste<\/strong> for this specific use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The court made the following key clarifications:<\/p>\n\n\n\n