Project description
Innovative technology to treat construction waste
Carbon capture and utilisation (CCU) is a process that captures carbon dioxide (CO2) and converts it into more valuable substances or products. In this context, the EU-funded Carbon8 project has developed Accelerated Carbonation Technology (ACT), a controlled, accelerated version of the naturally occurring carbonation process. The technology offers a circular economy solution to industrial construction waste and CO2 emissions. Otherwise, the construction industry’s wastes require costly pre-treatment before transportation to landfills. ACT has already been successfully deployed, under license by a waste management company, on a large scale. The project aims to identify markets and suitable end-products for a small-scale version of the ACT technology.
Objective
Carbon8 has developed Accelerated Carbonation Technology, ACT, a controlled, accelerated version of the naturally occurring carbonation process. It can be described as a CO2 capture and utilisation, or ‘CCU’, technology which captures CO2 to create a valuable, safe, carbon neutral or negative end-product which can be used as an aggregate by the construction industry.
The technology is applicable to hazardous waste from industries including cement, steel and Energy from Waste. These wastes otherwise represent a problem for the waste producer and typically require pre-treatment before transportation to landfill – at a cost of up to 150 Euros per tonne.
Carbon8’s technology has already been successfully deployed, under license by a waste management company, at large scale. This Phase 1 Project focuses on the identification of markets and suitable end-products for a small-scale version of the ACT technology - identified as more suitable to customer needs. The compact, containerized processing plant can be integrated into existing industrial processes, utilising CO2 contained in flue gas to treat the industrial waste. It represents a circular economy solution to both industrial waste and CO2 emissions.
Carbon8 estimates that around 20% of the EU’s 143 million tonnes of reactive waste might be available. These waste streams would have the potential to capture 3.5 Mt of CO2 /year. There is interest from major cement producers: Heidelberg, Lafarge, CRH, and Cemex and from EfW operators, particularly in northern Europe where disposal options are limited and costs highest.
By deploying smaller scale units with single waste streams, there is scope to fine tune the end product, an aggregate for the construction industry, with potential to ‘reverse-engineer’ a premium aggregate which can command a higher market value and further enhance the economic rationale.
Fields of science
- engineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringair pollution engineering
- natural sciencesearth and related environmental sciencesenvironmental sciencespollution
- natural sciencesearth and related environmental sciencesatmospheric sciencesclimatologyclimatic changes
- social scienceseconomics and businesseconomicssustainable economy
- engineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringwaste managementwaste treatment processes
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
SME-1 - SME instrument phase 1Coordinator
ME207BG Aylesford
United Kingdom
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.