Holzgerlingen, October 15, 2026 - The Bettels Group has commissioned Eisenmann Environmental Technology (EET) to supply, install and commission a plant for the treatment of tar contaminated asphalt. With the contract signed in early September by BERIA, a subsidiary of Bettels, the RiA.H project has reached an important milestone. RiA.H stands for “„Rohstoffrückgewinnung durch innovative Asphaltaufbereitung im Harz“ (Raw Material Recovery Through Innovative Asphalt Processing in the Harz Region). The plant currently being built in Bad Harzburg-Harlingerode will recover mineral raw materials from contaminated road demolition material and make them reusable, providing a resource conserving alternative to landfill disposal. The facility is designed for an annual treatment capacity of up to 135,000 tonnes. Commissioning is scheduled for 2028, with handover planned for early 2029. The project is supported by both the German federal government and the State of Lower Saxony.
RiA.H Returns Raw Materials to the Circular Economy
The Bettels Group and Eisenmann Environmental Technology have been working together for several years on the development of the underlying process technology. The rock preserving thermal treatment is based on a patented process developed by Eisenmann Environmental Technology. The core component of the plant is a rotary kiln. In this treatment drum, the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) contained in the asphalt binder are removed. The PAHs are treated at temperatures of approximately 570°C to 610°C, while the resulting exhaust gases are subsequently oxidised at 850°C. This process enables the gentle recovery of high quality mineral aggregates, which can then be reused in asphalt mixtures or concrete.
The concept offers further advantages: the binders contained in the asphalt serve as an energy source. As a result, the treatment process operates largely autothermally, requiring little additional fuel. The plant also utilises the process heat generated during treatment. Energy recovered from waste heat is used, among other things, for the treatment of oil contaminated sludge and for power generation.
