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MOSCOW (MRC) -- Sika, a producer of
construction chemicals, says it has developed a recycling process for old
concrete, said Chemweek.
The
technology breaks old concrete down into gravel, sand, and limestone in a
process that binds about 60 kilograms (kg) of carbon dioxide (CO2) per metric
ton of crushed concrete demolition waste. The company says the development will
make a significant contribution to reducing the ecological footprint of the
construction industry.
"In the five largest EU countries alone, roughly
300 million [metric tons] of old concrete are generated every year. With
complete recycling of these materials, up to 15 million metric tons of CO2
emissions can be captured,” says Paul Schuler, CEO of Sika.
About 25–30%
of all waste generated in the EU is construction demolition waste materials,
many of which could be recycled, according to the European Commission. Sika says
that recycling these materials is particularly crucial in dense urban areas,
because this is where most old concrete accumulates.
Comparative testing
of Sika’s process has demonstrated that new concrete containing recycled content
performs similarly to an all-new product, the company says. Further process
optimization can be achieved through the development of additional chemical
additives, Sika says.
"We are already developing complementary chemical
additives and quality enhancers, and are pushing the industrialization of our
new technology,” says Frank Hoefflin, CTO at Sika.
As MRC informed earlier,
Sika commissioned a manufacturing facility in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE),
which produces epoxy resins aimed at flooring solutions. Sika has decided to
invest in the expansion of its manufacturing facilities at the Dubai site in
order to increase flexibility in production, shorten delivery times, optimize
cost structures, and reduce inventories.
We remind
that Russia's output of chemical products rose in November 2020 by 9.5% year
on year. At the same time, production of basic chemicals increased in the first
eleven months of 2020 by 6.6% year on year, according to Rosstat's data.
According to the Federal State Statistics Service of the Russian Federation,
polymers in primary form accounted for the greatest increase in the
January-November 2020 output. November production of polymers in primary form
rose to 896,000 tonnes from 852,000 tonnes in October. Overall output of
polymers in primary form totalled 9,240,000 tonnes over the stated period, up by
17.1% year on year.
Sika is a specialty chemicals company with a
leading position in the development and production of systems and products for
bonding, sealing, damping, reinforcing, and protecting in the building sector
and motor vehicle industry. Sika has subsidiaries in 101 countries around the
world and manufactures in over 200 factories. Its more than 20,000 employees
generated annual sales of CHF 7.09 billion in 2018. |
