Since 2001, the re-use of uncleaned TAG is no longer permissible. The Dutch government wants to remove tar Asphalt from "the chain" once and for all. Thermal cleaning of tar Asphalt has therefore been included as a minimum standard in the national waste plan (LAP). In practice, this means that the Tar Asphalt that is realised must be thermally cleaned.

A new market
In recent years, two types of Asphalt have been used in road construction in the Netherlands:

• Asphalt based on tar (a coal product);
• Asphalt based on bitumen (oil product).
  

Both types of Asphalt consist of sand, gravel, fillers and a binding agent. In tar Asphalt, tar has been used as a binding agent (approx. 4-7%) and bitumen is used as a binding agent in bitumen Asphalt (approx. 4-7%).

The use of tar as a binding agent in new Asphalt has not been permitted since 1990. However, until 2001, tar Asphalt Granulate (TAG) was permitted for use uncleaned, for example as a base for new roads. Since 2001, however, this form of uncleaned re-use has also been prohibited. The Dutch government wants to remove tar Asphalt permanently from "the chain".

Reconstruction of road network
TAG-cleaning the process
TAG-cleaning step by step
TAG artist impression