Algeria, Slovakia sign steel waste recycling agreement

ALGERIA – Algeria’s National Recovery and Valorisation Company has signed a memorandum of understanding with Slovakia’s BK Investment to develop a project for processing and recovering waste generated by the steel industry.

The agreement was signed at SNS headquarters by SNRV Chief Executive Officer Abdelhak Bezahi and BK Investment Chief Executive Officer Khalil Belmechri, in the presence of SNS Chief Executive Officer Slimane Arar. 

The National Recovery and Valorisation Company operates as a subsidiary of the National Holding Group for the Iron and Steel Industry.

Project Targets Industrial By-Products and Circular Economy

According to an SNS statement, the agreement aims to develop a project for treating and recovering steel industry waste, making greater use of industrial by-products to promote the circular economy and contribute to sustainable development. 

Steel production generates substantial volumes of slag, dust, mill scale and other residues that contain recoverable metals and minerals. 

Processing these streams reduces landfill requirements and returns valuable material to production cycles.

Recovered Material Feeds Downstream Manufacturing

Recovered steel industry by-products serve multiple downstream applications, including construction aggregates, cement production and secondary metal recovery. 

For packaging supply chains, steel recycling feeds the production of cans, closures and industrial containers, where recycled content reduces energy intensity compared with primary steelmaking. 

Electric arc furnace operations, which rely heavily on scrap feedstock, benefit directly from improved collection and processing of industrial metal waste. 

Enhancing domestic recovery capacity also reduces reliance on imported scrap, an important consideration for countries seeking to secure raw material supply amid volatile global markets.

Cooperation Reflects Broader Circular Economy Push

The agreement forms part of wider efforts across North Africa to formalise industrial waste recovery and reduce environmental impact from heavy manufacturing. 

Steel producers face increasing pressure to account for by-products under extended producer responsibility frameworks and environmental regulations, making partnerships with specialised recovery firms commercially necessary. 

BK Investment’s involvement brings Slovak technical expertise into an Algerian industrial context, potentially transferring processing methods developed in European markets where waste recovery regulations are more established. 

The memorandum establishes a framework for cooperation, with implementation details expected to follow as the project advances.

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