Wastetowealth: A total solution for municipal solid waste incinerated ash in geopolymer concrete

W2W

Municipalities across Europe and around the world face a growing challenge when it comes to waste management. The big question is how to convert municipal solid waste (MSW) into useful renewable energy. The EU-funded W2W project has a solution. It proposes the use of MSW incineration (MSWI) products as secondary raw materials in geopolymer concrete.

Funders

Project information

Project duration

-

Funded by

Horizon 2020 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Action (MCSA)

Funding amount

202 680 EUR

Project coordinator

University of Oulu

Contact information

Project leader

Contact person

Project description

The main goal of the project is to specifically optimise the treatment method of MSWI bottom ash with advanced technology and manufacture the artificial aggregate as a secondary raw material in geopolymer concrete application. The project, which will provide training on the treatment technique, will also study the life cycle of the products.

Human activities and urban lifestyle creates municipal solid waste (MSW) all over the world in huge volume. Proper management of MSW is one of the important requirements/responsibilities for a healthy environment of future generation. The proposed project aims at utilizing the MSW incinerated (MSWI) products as secondary raw materials in geopolymer concrete, thereby converting these wastes in to wealth (W2W). This also helps in satisfying the demand for raw materials in infrastructure industries.

The main objectives of this project are, to optimize the treatment method for MSWI bottom ash and to understand the enhancement in the properties of treated MSWI bottom ash with advanced treatment technology, to manufacture the artificial aggregate from the treated MSWI bottom ash and to study the performance of the MSWI bottom ash aggregate as a secondary raw material in the geopolymer concrete application. This project involves extensive training of the candidate on treatment techniques of bottom ash in the premises of industrial secondment and advanced characterization of the treated materials in the academic secondment. The host institute helps in geopolymeric technology on pelletization of the treated bottom ash. With inter-sectoral collaboration, life cycle assessment of the products will be studied to highlight the environmental impact of the material processing.

Collaboration network

  • Mineralz, The Netherlands (Industrial collaboration)
  • Concrete Modelling and Materials Behavior Research group, TUDelft, The Netherlands
  • Institute for construction and building materials, TUDarmstadt, Germany
  • Department of Civil Engineering, Instituto Superior Técnico, Portugal

See project on CORDIS website.

See project video on YouTube.

News about the project:

Sep 2020:

W2W project was selected to be displayed in EU science day 2020.

2021:

Secondment visit to TULisbon

2022:

Secondment visit to TUDelft

Secondment visit to TUDarmstadt