The ICARUS innovation project, led by ACCIONA’s Construction business and involving the company’s Water business, commenced in January.
This initiative, part of the European Union’s Horizon Europe program, focuses on recycling waste materials from various processing industries.
The project’s goal is to reintegrate these waste materials into the construction sector to promote the circular economy and sustainable development.
Additionally, the project represents a significant advancement in researching and demonstrating technologies to enhance secondary raw materials, ensuring a quality comparable to that of the original raw materials.
To validate these new technologies, three applications of these wastes in construction will be undertaken: recycling mineral waste from lithium extraction and refining, recycling iron and steel slag through carbon capture and storage, and recovering cellulosic waste from wastewater treatment plants and superabsorbent waste, with active participation from ACCIONA’s Water business.
The ICARUS project will offer technological support to energy-intensive industries, which are significant consumers of raw materials and producers of waste.
These industries are crucial for driving the transition to greener and more digital processes. The project aims to standardize practices to promote a resilient, green, and digital single market where sustainability in resource management is crucial.
Advanced recycling
The circular economy in the construction sector is still in its early stages, with an estimated circularity rate of 12.4% in the European Union in 2021.
By addressing the issue of resource availability for the infrastructure sector, which accounts for 50% of total material extraction and over 35% of waste streams in the European Union, the ICARUS project is a significant step towards sustainable transformation. It aims to tackle current challenges with determination and lead the way towards a greener future.
ACCIONA’s involvement in this project reaffirms its dedication to sustainable innovation and leading the implementation of solutions for an ever-evolving circular economy.
Source :ACCIONA
