Giving a second life to residues like ashes and plaster and use them as decontaminators agents. This is the goal of the project SUBproducts4LIFE in which EDP will participate, coordinated by the University of Oviedo

This was communicated this morning by the rector of the University of Oviedo, Santiago García; the consultant of Industry, Employment and Tourism, Isaac Pola; the General Manager of Mines and Energy, Belarmina Díaz; the mayor of Lena, Gema Álvarez; and EDP’s Director of Environment, Sustainability, Innovation and Quality, Yolanda Fernández.

This project’s goal is to proof that certain subproducts, like blast furnace slag and gypsum, and residues like ashes and steelwork slags, are efficient as agents that attach heavy metals in polluted floors and avoid the progression of such pollution.

The demonstration will be carried out in four pilot experiences, situated in two locations with polluted floors, called La Soterraña and El Terronal, in the Asturian municipalities of Lena and Mieres, between September 1, 2017, and August 31, 2021.

The total budget of the project is of 1.47 million euros, with a total aid of the EU program LIFE, of 882 000 euros, 60% of the budget. EDP participates as a supplier of 12 310 tons of ashes and 2 070 tons of gypsum, obtained from the process of desulphurization of its thermal power plants.

The committee presented in the press room of the Historic Building of the University of Oviedo will have 7 associates. Apart from the University of Oviedo and EDP, other companies participating will be Tecnim, Gservice, Edersa, the Asturian Institute of Labor Risk Prevention and Biosfera.

Moreover, it will count with the collaboration of the Principality of Asturias’ Government, the city councils of Lena and Mieres, Imsa, Siderfluor, Astur Belga de Minas and Arcelor Mittal. All of them will make possible this project titled “Reuse of subproducts and industrial residues in innovative processes of circular economy”.