Slovenia: Steel producer SIJ Acroni has partnered with construction company Batt Crew, non-governmental organisation (NGO) Dejmo, the Olympic Committee of Slovenia Association of Sports Federations (NOCSLO) and the Slovenian Steel Group for a “one-of-a-kind” project to construct five Olympic standard pump tracks – jump circuits for BMX bikes – from steel slag.
The company will supply 10,000t of black slag in various grain sizes to five sites across the country, and all of the tracks are scheduled for completion in 2022. The partners share “one common vision: to have a pump track in every municipality,” according to the producer. It said that the project “follows the principles of circular economy, because it creatively uses slag, a by-product of steel production, to build pump tracks. It enables the partners in the project of sports infrastructure for all to contribute towards reducing the consumption of natural resources.”
SIJ Group senior vice-president Tibor Šimonka said, “The 20 outdoor gyms, which were development and built by the efforts of our colleagues, will soon be joined by five slag pump tracks constructed by us and our partners, where members of the local communities all across Slovenia will be able to test their minds of steel."
