New Recycling Processes For The Foundry Sands: Innovation Aimed To Get Materials With High-Added Value

The study presented was developed in the frame of the project “New recycling processes for the foundry sands: innovation aimed to get materials with high-added value”, funded by Fondazione Cariplo. Four different approaches were attempted for the valorization of foundry sands with the aim to transform waste into a resource. The work was performed by four young researchers supported by grants created in the frame of the project, under the supervision of experienced researchers of three different INSTM Research Units, and in collaboration with companies with a potential interest in the use of the foundry sands. The overall objective of the project has been to identify processes for recycling foundry sand into high-value-added materials in order to facilitate the creation of an effective market for this sand and to overcome the current economic and legal barriers to its development. The project started studying the Best Available Practices (BAT) implemented in industrial sectors such as ceramics, cement, and bricks. This part was followed by the study of recycling processes in ceramics and special concretes, also identifying their applications in industrial processes. Side effects of the recycling process that may impact the environmental matrix and/or human health by means of specific tests (ecotoxicity) were taken into consideration. The whole study was oriented in order to define not only the economic added value of possible innovative processes proposed but also all the benefits from an environmental point of view.