Residues from waste incineration plants are now to be used to make sustainable concrete in Germany. With this goal in mind, the University of Kassel has initiated a new research project entitled “HMV eco-concrete: Ecological optimisation of concrete products by using mineral fractions of household waste incineration grate ash”.
The responsible scientists are the university professors Dr David Laner, Department of Resource Management and Waste Technology, and Dr Bernhard Middendorf, Department of Construction Materials and Construction Chemistry. The project is initially scheduled to run for two years.
The focus is particularly on research into the finest fraction in order to reduce the proportion of cement used in concrete production by 20%, which, in addition to conserving natural resources, would improve the climate balance of concrete in particular. Currently, CO2 emissions from the production of 1 m3 of concrete are 200 kg1. The industry would like to achieve climate-neutral production by 2050. Projects like the one in Kassel can support this goal.
One of the partners in this forward-looking project is BAUREKA Baustoff-Recycling GmbH. Managing Director Dirk Röth: “We see great potential for the use of municipal waste incineration ash in concrete. We know from experience within our group of companies that aggregates from ash are good alternatives for gravel and sand in both concrete and asphalt production”. With this, Dirk Röth refers to the data of HEROS Sluiskil B.V., the Dutch subsidiary of REMEX GmbH, which last year already produced more than 100,000 t of concrete aggregate based on bottom ash.
According to the press release of the University of Kassel, the two scientists of the University of Kassel were able to win not only BAUREKA GmbH, but also KIMM GmbH & Co. KG as concrete producers and the waste-to-energy plant (MHKW) Kassel for the project. The research project is funded with around 250,000 euros by the German Federal Environmental Foundation.
