On July 30th, thethird workshop of the LIFE REFIBRE project – From waste to resource, organized by SAN GREGORIO, with the participation of the rest of the project partners (BLASGON, CARTIF, ICCL, INCOSA) was held.
LIFE REFIBRE project seeks to provide a complete vision of the value chain of asphalt plants through innovation and the circular economy.
Innovative solutions in materials applicable to asphalt plants are the key to the future in pavement is the message that was wanted to transmit in the 3 LIFE REFIBRE workshop.
The Life Refibre project organized a new workshop with the aim of providing knowledge about the innovative solutions that are currently being applied as part of European studies and projects and thus promote the circular economy and R & D & I, so necessary in the sector of the pavement to be able to improve sustainability in the future and to be able to transfer it to society, health and the environment.
Under the title ‘Innovative solutions in pavements’, experts met who presented their vision, making different presentations throughout the morning. The aim was to divide the day into two parts. Juan José Potti, President of the Spanish Association of Asphalt Mixes (ASEFMA), was the first guest to introduce the topic of the national circular economy strategy and how it influences the sector. He valued the conservation of roads as a method of preserving the environment. This was followed by a presentation by three professionals who provided the vision of the asphalt value chain through the industry, with a presentation by Álvaro Olivier, CEO of Contratas y Obras de San Gregorio S.A; then with the point of view of the investigation from the hand of Mª Carmen Rubio, as Director of the Laboratory of Construction Engineering of the University of Granada and finally on behalf of the company BECSA, Pablo Álvarez, Head of the I + Laboratory D + i shared with everyone the advantages of maintenance as one of the important solutions to implement.
In the second part of the Workshop, a round table with the title “New materials and treatments in paving as an opportunity for change” was enjoyed, with representatives of different European projects who contributed the innovative approach. Alexis Miguel Antequera of the company Contratas y Obras San Gregorio S.A began, who shared with the attendees the project that organizes the conference, putting in value the technical part that throughout these years is being implemented. The objective of the LIFE REFIBRE project is the integrated management of plastic waste reinforced with fiberglass (GRP) that make up the blades of wind turbines once their useful life has ended. LIFE REFRIBRE promotes the complete and high-quality recyclability of its main compound, fiberglass (64% total by weight), favoring the recovery of these wastes in favor of a reduction in their presence in landfills and providing them with a second cycle of life for a high added value application: its incorporation into asphalt agglomerate.
There was also the participation in streaming of Daniel Castro, Technical Director of the Construction Technology Research Group of the University of Cantabria, presenting the HEALROAD project of the Infravation call. In the same way, Javier Mira, Coordinator of the Habitat Area at the Ceramic Technology Institute, explained the Life CERSUDS project and finally Francisco Miguel Moral, Head of the Energy and Insulation Area of the Technological Center of Construction of the Region of Murcia, shared as coordinator the Life HEATLAND project.
To end the morning, the President of COLLOSA, Patricio LLorente shared with all the attendees the approach of a project based on bringing together the 17 Sustainable Development Goals and their goals through the importance of their incorporation in companies as a strategy aligned with the society.
In the following link, through the project’s youtube channel, it can be seen a summary of the workshop.
