Valorization of Waste Glass in Materials
The recycling sector is in crisis. In Québec, a substantial amount of glass—most notably wine bottles—is never recycled. Colourless glass is easily recycled and has good added value, but this is not the case for mixed glass. Thousands of tons are recovered each year, but no-one has found a use for it.
Université de Sherbrooke (UdeS) researchers have been working for some years to find innovative solutions to meet Québec’s needs and recycling mixed glass in concrete is opening very promising avenues. Instead of ending up in landfill sites, mixed glass can now be commonly used in the construction industry as research has made it possible to produce a new cementitious material from mixed glass. This is a very concrete example of the impacts that academic research can have on society.
Like many research projects conducted in Sherbrooke, those focused on glass recycling are significantly contributing to the improvement of environmental conditions.
Principal Investigator: Arezki Tagnit-Hamou