Background

Eurostat data highlight a continuous increase in the per capita production of waste: from 495 kg in 2018 it has gone up to 520 kg in 2020. Circular economy is pushing increasingly to bring about real change in production and waste management. The recovery and reuse of waste is not only an environmental benefit but also an economic one. Rubber, plastic, textiles and waste biomass are recovered and used as additives in many industrial sectors: construction and infrastructure, road, clothing, etc.

Technology Overview

The technology developed allows to transform end of life plastics with no further application, into additives for the production of hot mixed asphalt (HMA). Commercial additives currently produced from fossil-based raw materials are replaced with recovered/recycled post consumer plastics. Waste valorization as additives allows the reduction of the environmental impact both related to waste disposal and to current production processes. Wastes are directly grinded and processed in the waste treatment plants and sell as additives to the end users at competitive costs. HMA with end of life plastics as additive has excellent mechanical properties to the asphalt and have a lower environmental and economic impact compare to traditional additives. This technology can be extended into many industrial fields such as construction and infrastructure.

Benefits

Easy to apply technology
Lower environmental impact of additive production
Lower environmental impact of waste disposal (currently incinerated or landfilled)
Reduction of waste disposal costs
Reduction of additives production costs

Applications

Asphalt industry
Construction and infrastructure
Textile industry

Opportunity

Open to collaborative projects to further develop and commercialize the technology and/or to license it out.

Waste Valorization for the Production of High-performance Additives

Seeking