The research project “Climate and resource protection potential in construction in Rhineland-Palatinate” commissioned by the MKUEM dealt with the CO2 reduction potential in the expansion of the circular economy of recycled building materials, in particular the sortability and recyclability of the mineral fine fraction (pre-screened material) in Rhineland-Palatinate. In cooperation with partners from the field, the sortability of this partial stream was tested using optical sorting processes and alternative methods of pollutant removal (washing) were analyzed.
The defined goal was to obtain the highest possible proportion of marketable recycled building materials of high quality in terms of building physics and to minimize the proportion of fractions that “only” have to be recycled as material for backfilling or even disposed of as waste in a landfill. The challenges of the practical implementation of the “Mantelverordnung” have also been incorporated into the project.
Sorting tests and quality assurance issues led to the conclusion that conventional optical sorting methods (NIR, RGB) are less suitable for the mineral fine fraction. On the contrary, the results of a test washing show a significant reduction in problematic and harmful substances. Alternative recycling methods for the mineral fine fraction were considered in the project. The current use of pre-screened materials as a substitute construction material in civil engineering may be followed in future by their higher-value use as an input material in construction products, for example. This would require more in-depth testing of quality and suitability in conjunction with companies in the glass, ceramics, brick and sanitary industries in a follow-up project.
Professor Dr.-Ing. Susanne Hartard, Department of Industrial Ecology at Trier University of Applied Sciences – Environmental Campus Birkenfeld, and her team will present the results of the project and the possible applications for low-grade mineral construction waste on May 21 and then put them up for discussion.
We look forward to your participation and ask you to register by May 7, 2025 by e-mail to barbara.joerg@mkuem.rlp.de.
The number of participants is limited due to the size of the room.