REFIBRE-LIFE project (“Recycling of textile fibres from end-of-life tyres for production of new asphalts and plastic compounds”), co-funded by the European Community, aims leads to industrial application of textile fibres reuse from the recovery of ELTs (End-of-Life Tyres).

From the ETLs recovery the following materials are obtained: elastomeric rubber granules, harmonic steel, and textile fiber mainly composed of nylon, rayon etc. The granules of rubber and harmonic steel are recycled in multiple applications. The textile fiber, which represents about 10% of the PFU (considering the weight), has not any use and ends up in landfills or for energy recovery.

In detail, REFIBRE-LIFE Project has point out two particularly interesting applications:

• Asphalt: the textile fibres properly dosed in asphalt pavements gives greater resistance to fatigue; that allows extending its average life;

• Compound: the textile fibres, combined with other plastics (eg. Polypropylene and similar materials), increase the impact strength on the compound; this materials is suitable for the production of each type of crankcase, automotive components and similar products.

REFIBRE and NEREIDE-LIFE projects share common objectives. Both projects aim to achieve asphalt pavements with improved performance compared to conventional bitumen, through the intelligent use of recycled materials from End-of-Life Tyres. The LIFE-Refibre project, through the use of reinforcement textile fiber recovered from the ELTs in bituminous binder, to give to pavement a greater resistance to fatigue, an aspect that allows to considerably lengthen the average life of the pavement. The Nereide project, on the other hand, aims to achieve low noise emission road surfaces thanks to the use of PFU recycled rubber powder and recycled asphalt.

Below, the activities carried out in the last three months by LIFE-REFIBRE project:

•      October 2017: pilot optimization start

•      October 2017: participation at “16th International Waste Management and Landfill Symposium”

•      November 2017: realizations of finished products (by printing) from compounds made from textile fibers

•      December  2017: participation at “CYCLamEn - CYprus Capacity BuiLding for life” – (study tour to life projects in Italy – Ministered of Environment Rome

•      December  2017: new asphalt test on the A24 and A25 highway

Activities planned in the next three months:

•      January 2018: check and optimization pilot plant

•      February 2018: realizations of finished products (by printing) from compounds made from textile fibers

•      March/April 2018: workshop organization

•      April 2018: publication on the the Italian Ministry of Environment's website of the REFIBRE Life project in the section Life of the month

For further information about the activities carried out by LIFE-NEREIDE project, visit http://www.nereideproject.eu/it/Progressi-Risultati

Instead, for more information about the LIFE-REFIBRE visit www.refibre.eu