BITUMCLEAN

The benefits of this project are many and varied. From an environmental point of view, the recycling of this waste is a real added value and will make it possible to limit the use of petroleum products. In terms of image, this added value will be exploited by Imperbel S.A. to differentiate itself from its competitors, who currently do nothing about recycling, and to market a product with a positive environmental impact. It should be stressed that the solvents and/or CO2 used to decontaminate the old membranes will be recycled, which will further increase the environmental impact of the new membranes. Only tar will not be re-exploited and converted into a product of interest as part of this project, even though potential solutions exist, see ‘State of the art: bitumen and PAHs’. A future study could be devoted to this issue, while the BitumClean project focuses on the feasibility of decontamination.

The creation of a new recycling unit for waterproofing membrane waste will boost Imperbel S.A.'s production volume. Increased sales are expected, both nationally and internationally, as the Scandinavian market has a strong demand for eco-friendly products. The company is also expected to create new jobs to develop and operate the new recycling unit, and to increase production volumes. 

For Eco-Dec, the development of a new type of solvent regenerator will primarily enable the company to extend its range of equipment to new solvents and new capacities. This is expected to have a positive impact on the company's sales, as the number of players in this niche market is relatively small, with any advances resulting in an increase in market share (over 50% of Eco-Dec's production is sold abroad). The various parts (e.g. resistors, tanks, etc.) making up the regenerators are subcontracted to a large number of Walloon companies, which will therefore benefit from the economic spin-offs.

For Rovi-Tech, the development of a material sorting solution will open up new markets in the recycling sector. The opportunities are enormous, given the low level of recycling efforts in the construction sector. In terms of employment, the team could be increased by two people.
For Jadition, the visibility and development prospects offered by the project should boost the company's growth. An increase in sales of 10% is expected, which will require the hiring of an additional person.

For the Université de Liège, the results of this project will be valorized by the publication of articles in scientific journals of international scope. In addition, these new discoveries could legitimize the launch of future scientific work, enabling the hiring of doctoral students, PhDs or technicians. Similar spin-offs would be possible for the PEPs laboratory.
The impact for Centexbel would be the possibility of hiring more technical and scientific staff. In addition, the skills of the chemistry laboratory will be greatly strengthened in the fields of heavy fraction extraction using solvents and continuous extrusion screws under CO2s, as well as in recycling and the circular economy.