On September 20, World Cleanup Day is celebrated, an international day dedicated to cleaning our planet from waste. This event, launched in 2018, aims to raise awareness among citizens, companies, and governments about the importance of sustainable waste management, a crucial issue for the future of the environment. R2M Solution, with its commitment to sustainable innovation, actively contributes to this process through pioneering projects that promote high-quality recycling and the smart reuse of materials.
The waste management process involves a series of activities ranging from collection to treatment and final disposal, with the aim of reducing environmental impact and maximizing resource recovery. In Italy, according to the 2023 ISPRA Special Waste Report, the construction sector produces about 50% of special waste.
However, the good news is that 57% of these materials are recovered. This figure is steadily increasing, placing Italy among the top European countries in waste management. Unfortunately, recycled materials are often destined for low-quality products. The current challenge is to design and create more innovative and efficient products.
R2M Solution stands out for its innovative approach to waste management, developing projects that aim to create added value from recycled materials, in line with the principles of the circular economy. Some of the most significant projects include:
Wood2Wood: Wood Recycling for Sustainable Construction
The Wood2Wood project, funded by the European Union, addresses the issue of the enormous amount of wood used in the construction and demolition sectors, which consumes 40-50% of global raw materials.
The main goal is to transform wood waste into high-value products, optimizing the recovery of natural resources and promoting industrial symbiosis according to the principles of the circular economy.
Through tools such as Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), the project evaluates and optimizes wood processing, considering factors like supply, demand, and logistics to maximize resource recovery.
W2W is an efficient system that allows wood to be recycled in various ways, contributing to sustainable resource management in construction.
Rewastee: Innovation from Steel Industry Waste
The Rewastee project utilizes an innovative patent to transform Electric Arc Furnace Dust (EAFD) generated by steel production into a high-quality acoustic membrane.
The project takes a step further by incorporating Phase Change Materials (PCM) to ensure not only acoustic insulation but also thermal regulation, thus creating the world’s first acoustic membrane with thermal inertia properties.
In Europe, about 1 million tons of this dust are produced each year. This solution drastically reduces landfill waste while creating a 100% reusable material that can be employed in construction as both acoustic and thermal insulation.
If 30% of this dust were recycled using this method, 75 million square meters of membranes could be produced, enough to cover a city like Paris.
Innoqua: Sustainable Solutions for Wastewater Treatment
The INNOQUA project, funded by the Horizon 2020 program, has developed an innovative wastewater treatment system using biological microorganisms such as earthworms and microalgae.
The system is configured based on different application contexts, thus meeting specific market needs.
This modular solution is suitable for small rural communities, specific industries, and developing countries, providing an ecological and sustainable purification system.
In Europe, water management is an issue as many communities still do not meet wastewater treatment and sanitation standards.
To tackle this problem, adequate wastewater elimination and treatment must be ensured, minimizing implementation costs and making services more accessible.
Sum4Re: Databases and Urban Mining for Circular Construction
The SUM4Re project, co-funded by the European Commission, aims to reduce waste and promote circular construction practices.
The project proposes an innovative approach to creating databases for construction materials, combining urban mining and advanced technologies for identifying and monitoring materials on-site.
One of SUM4Re’s main goals is to develop a system for tracking construction materials, a holistic methodological framework for evaluating the circular use of construction products, and smart digital solutions to identify and analyze the properties of construction elements both on and off-site.
Construction and demolition waste represent the largest waste stream in the EU by tonnage, and the sector’s intensive use of raw materials is responsible for over 40% of greenhouse gas emissions.
The system developed by SUM4Re improves the traceability and management of construction and demolition waste, helping reduce CO2 emissions and combat climate change.
CE4Con: Digitalization of the Supply Chain for Recycled Composite Materials
The CE4Con project aims to help companies design more sustainable and circular building envelopes.
CE4Con is based on the ReUse platform, developed by Holonix, for environmental and sustainable assessment. This platform enables companies to improve and streamline supply chain processes by coordinating activities with processing plants and logistics services to make production more agile.
Companies can also optimize the recycling of production waste, simplify product disassembly, and reduce recycling costs. CE4Con supports design throughout the entire lifecycle of the building module, enhancing the efficiency and sustainability of the sector.
Additionally, the platform offers a dedicated user section, allowing them to present recyclable materials, make specific requests, and compare various options through an integrated evaluation tool.
Therefore, on the occasion of World Cleanup Day, R2M Solution renews its commitment to sustainable and innovative waste management. Together, we can make a difference!
For more information on our projects and life cycle analysis services, contact us via the form below.
