Strathclyde research aims to save up to 100k tonnes of landfill waste annually

The project – commissioned from the university’s Advanced Forming Research Centre (AFRC) by recycling company Enva with funding from the Construction Scotland Innovation Centre (CSIC) – could offer a means to divert as much as 100,000 tonnes of ash from landfill for use in construction.

Furnace trials determined the most suitable time and temperature required to produce a reliable concrete product made from waste ash, cement and water.

A non-contact infrared thermometer monitored temperature uniformity across the batch of pellets throughout the heat treatment process and provided additional.

The pellets were potentially environmentally friendly and trials highlighted that the refined quality of the ash component increased the strength of the product.

This could have a significant impact on the supply chain, creating new jobs and new markets and lead to further expansion

Jennifer Smart, business relationship manager, CSIC 

Enva technical manager Scott Newport said: “The research carried out by the AFRC helped us understand more about the behaviour and performance of the ash, allowing us to take our first steps in exploring how we can best utilise this product, which was previously scrapped as waste.

“It’s an exciting time within the industry to create circular initiatives that will open up various opportunities from revenue and job creation, and we’re thrilled that we’re closer to achieving this.”

CSIC business relationship manager Jennifer Smart said the project had enable Enva to take a ‘significant step’ towards commercialising a new product for the construction industry. 

“This could have a significant impact on the supply chain, creating new jobs and new markets and lead to further expansion of the business operation throughout the UK and Ireland and potentially further into mainland Europe,” she explained.

Photo: Dr Aurik Andreu, AFRC senior manufacturing engineer examines the pellets