Innovations for Sustainable Slag Management
13th EUROSLAG Conference with 240 Participants from 26 Countries
Luleå/Duisburg, June 17, 2026. The steel industry’s transition to largely low-carbon production processes has far-reaching implications for the properties and potential applications of slag. The challenges and prospects for the future use of these valuable byproducts—for example, in construction materials and fertilizers—and what practical solutions might look like were central topics at the 13th EUROSLAG Conference, held June 16–18, 2026, in Luleå, Sweden. Under the motto “From Innovation to Application: The Future of Steel Slags,” the conference focused on the topics “Legislation, Rules, and Standards,” “Research and Innovation,” “Supplementary Cementitious Materials,” “Slag Treatment,” and “Valorization and Best Practices.”
The 240 participants from 26 countries attending the EUROSLAG conference—including representatives from Australia, India, Israel, Japan, South Africa, South Korea, and the United States—had the opportunity to learn about the current state of research and practice through 40 presentations and 18 poster sessions held at Kulturens Hus in Luleå. In addition to the main program, the conference featured a special session on June 15, 2026, dedicated to the EU research project “Industrial Symbiosis.” On June 18, 2026, themed tours are also planned to the Boliden Rönnskär smelter, the SSAB steelworks, and the Gammelstad Stave Church Village, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Thomas Reiche, Chairman of EUROSLAG and Managing Director of the FEhS Institute: “A big thank you to the organizers for this very successful event. Following the last EUROSLAG conference on the topic of ‘Slags for the Future, the Future of the Slags’ in Bilbao, we have taken it a step further this time and focused on the application of slags. For only by seeking international dialogue at all levels and discussing our knowledge and solutions in a practical manner will we continue to succeed in these very challenging times: both in terms of economic development and the important contribution of slags to resource conservation, the circular economy, and climate protection.”
Christer Ryman of Jernkontoret, the Swedish Association of Iron and Steel Producers: “We were proud to co-host the 13th EUROSLAG Conference together with Swerim, Luleå University of Technology and the EUROSLAG Association. The strong interest and dynamic discussions clearly show that momentum is building around our ongoing work to make the steel industry and its by-products more sustainable. Now it’s important to build on this energy—by continuing to collaborate across sectors and by working closely with policymakers and authorities to ensure the right conditions for progress.”
About EUROSLAG
EUROSLAG brings together 24 organizations and companies from 14 countries, including the FEhS Institute and the German Ferrous Slag Association (Fachverband Eisenhüttenschlacken) from Germany. As a European network for the production, use, and development of ferrous slag and slag-based products, EUROSLAG focuses its activities on research and technology, European standardization, and internal and external communication. Every two years, EUROSLAG organizes the conference of the same name in collaboration with national partners.