Concrete products from MSWI bottom ash

In 2013, we started our three-year research and development project, which aimed at searching for new practical solutions and methods for utilizing municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) bottom ash in civil engineering and concrete products.

The project was connected to the objectives of the European Comission and Finland’s National Waste Plan to make the utilization of waste more efficient. The common goal was to replace 5% of natural gravel and crushed rock aggregates with waste materials from industry in infrastructure construction by 2016. This accounts for approximately 3-4 million tonnes. 

Our research project has been a success. In the beginning of 2017, we introduced our Scanwas manufactured aggregate refined from MSWI bottom ash. The properties of this aggregate have been widely studied both in the laboratory and the field scale, and the results have shown that it can be used to replace natural raw materials, such as sand and gravel. Scanwas manufactured aggregate is suitable raw material for both infrastucture construction and concrete products.