PROJECT PRESENTATION
Mineral wool waste back to loop with advanced sorting, pre-treatment, and alkali activation
H2020 project WOOL2LOOP solves one of the biggest challenges in the utilization of construction and demolition waste (CDW) by a new approach of circularity. Mineral wool waste within CDW is upgraded into valuable raw materials to be used in new products (ceramic or concrete-type products) and applications prepared with alkali activation technology.
WOOL2LOOP will try to:
- Enable consistent quality mineral wool raw material from construction and demolition waste.
- Use novel on-site analytical methods for the analysis of mineral wool waste.
- Develop milling and pre-treatment technology for mineral wool waste.
- Demonstrate the manufacturing of new products using the alkali-activation technology.
- Ensure the health, safety and environmental performance and requirements thorough the value chain.
- Evaluate the circular economic feasibility of the developed value chain.
- Communicate results and engage with the expectations about the future utilization prospects of mineral wool waste and to create the awareness among external stakeholders and the general public across the EU.
WOOL2LOOP project aims to divert mineral wool waste from landfilling and to develop its utilization into novel products, while securing the access to sustainable and non-conventional raw materials for the construction industry in the future. A combination of smart demolition practices and on-site analysis will decrease the mineral wool waste separation costs to a level enabling reuse. Alkali-activation is a novel method to utilise mineral wool waste by converting it into ceramic or concrete-like materials. This technology has been successfully commercialised at several locations. The key aspect in commercialization is the availability of raw materials. Mineral wool waste as a new raw material for alkali-activated materials would be an important addition to the market.
By careful mix design of mineral wool alkali-activated materials, it possible to produce a wide range of value-added products with different properties such as:
- Hollow core slabs,
- Fibre-reinforced panels,
- Acoustic panels,
- Pavement slabs,
- Façade elements,
- 3D printing products,
- Dry mix concrete products,
- Floor screed.
Slovenian partners in the WOOL2LOOP: Slovenian national building and civil engineering institute (ZAG), Termit, d.d. company and Zavod 404
This project has received funding from the European Union’s EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation Horizon 2020 under Grant Agreement #821000
