Environmental performance of recycled aggregates from secondary sources: A case study on Norwegian site

Other conference contribution, 2024

Circular economy is a model of production and consumption to maximize material use repeatedly and extend the product life cycle. In the case of aggregates, this can be achieved by reducing virgin raw material consumption and waste generation. As well as by recycling aggregate materials from secondary sources such as excavation and construction and demolition (C&D) waste. Using recycled aggregates (RAs) from excavation and C&D waste can help preserve the natural environment and reduce the demand for landfill. Although it is economically feasible to recover aggregates from secondary sources, in many cases there are quality issues and lack of environmental information that inhibit their use. The focus of this study is to quantify the environmental impact of RAs recovered from excavation waste from a recycling facility in Norway. The facility is equipped with equipment such as screens, conveyors, and pumps that are specifically built to clean and separate the rock material from secondary sources to produce different fractions of aggregate products. The environmental impact is calculated by developing a process simulation-based Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). Results indicate that the environmental performance of the facility is sensitive to diesel and electricity consumption in conjunction with the operating capacity of the facility