Eco Recycling is the coordinator of the project and is an R&D company specializing in the development and implementation of innovative processes and plants for the enhancement of WEEE, complex minerals, waste and mining residues.
The other partners involved in the LIFE BIOAs project are: Technosind, HTR (High Tech Recycling), ALFO ENERGIA unipersonale, TALETE and Universidade de Évora.
ALFO ENERGIA srl unipersonale works in the field of energy production and biomasses management. The company has an industrial plant located in Campodimele, for the treatment of olive pomace and olive biomasses. The company has large experience in the management of by-products produced from the olive oil sector.
Eco Recycling is a spin-off company created in 2008 by University researchers, and two SMEs involved in recycling and treatment of industrial wastes. The initial aim of this spin-off addressed the technology transfer of a new patent developed to recycle alkaline spent batteries. This activity was then extended to the valorization of other wastes.
A multipurpose first pilot plant was built in Northern Italy. Based on Pilot activities an industrial plant with large potentiality (4000 t/y) has been designed by Eco Recycling and the plant is now operating at S.E.Val s.r.l.. Successively a new mobile pilot plant was built to recover metals from wastes. Eco Recycling designed two demonstrative plant finalized at the treatment of WEEE and end of life photovoltaic panels.
MISSION AND ACTIVITIES: Development of innovative processes and plant design, assistance for startup, management and personnel training, chemical analysis for environmental control and process optimization.
PROJECTS AND FINANCING:
The High Tech Recycling Research Center (HTR) is an interuniversity research center joining researchers from different Italian Universities (La Sapienza University of Rome (operative center), University of L'Aquila, University of Genoa, University of Bologna, University of Cagliari, Polytechnic of Marche) and one institute of the National Research Council (Institute of Environmental Geology and Geoengineering). HTR researchers operate in the development of innovative processes in the field of waste exploitation, water treatment and circular economy. Main activities concern with industrial processes development from lab scale up to prototype scale, including technical-economic feasibility and environmental impact assessment.
The researchers working in HTR have a long experience in the development of new adsorbent materials from biomass feedstocks (proved by several scientific papers), for the removal of metals and heavy metals from contaminated waters. Many research papers have been published about the valorization of olive industry by-products such as olive pomace and olive mill wastewater. Since some years, HTR researchers are working about the development of innovative adsorbents for arsenic removal by means of hydrothermal carbonization.
The provincial territory of Viterbo has decided to proceed attributing to TALETE SpA, a fully public company owned by Local Authorities (Municipalities and Province), the management of public water collection, adduction and distribution services for civil use, sewerage and sewage treatment.
The company has as its primary objectives the search for a balance between resources and uses, the identification of criteria for saving and reusing water and the revision of tariffs according to socio-economic criteria.
TALETE S.p.A. carries out research, consultancy and assistance activities as well as protection, monitoring and enhancement of water bodies, also promoting initiatives for the dissemination of the culture of water and for citizens' access to information relating to their activities.
Technosind was founded in 1990 in order to coordinate R&D activities mainly in the field of recovery of raw materials from waste and in the field of renewable energy. Its main core is the development of innovative processes from the laboratory scale up to the industrial one.
The skills of Technosind are documented by a wide and qualified international experience, in the context of strategic projects funded by the EU.
Almost all of the turnover comes from R&D activities commissioned by private and public companies.
The company constantly collaborates with “La Sapienza” University of Rome, in the field of energy storage, nanotechnologies and the treatment/reuse of urban and industrial wastewater.
The University of Évora is organized in 4 Schools: Arts, Sciences and Technology, Social Sciences and Nursing and offers 41 undergraduate and 120 postgraduate degrees. Research and Development (R&D) covers several scientific areas through a network of 17 Research Units, all of them submitted to an international evaluation, under the coordination of the Institute for Research and Advanced Studies.
Furthermore, the University of Évora established three Chairs in areas of excellence: Biodiversity, Renewable Energies and Heritage, which are sponsored by private capital holders. Over the last years, the University has fostered a close link with the community. Such interaction has been possible through the creation of working networks and dissemination of knowledge such as the participation in the Science and Technology Park as well as through the establishment of protocols and contracts for the supply of services in partnerships with Companies, Universities, Associations and Institutes. The main R&D areas are: Agronomy and Biodiversity; Geophysics, Environment and Landscaping; Materials and Surface Science; Economics and Business Studies; Computer Sciences and Software Interoperability; Social and Political Sciences, History, History of Art, Science and Cultures; Applied Mathematics; Education; Linguistics and Literature; Elderly Healthcare. It has a specialized laboratory for Green Chemistry and a long experience in clean technologies and processes.