Green sinks substitute organic raw materials and mineral fillers with recycled materials
The aim of LIFE GREEN SINKS project was to create a new "green" range of products, represented by innovative kitchen sinks manufactured by 100% recovered materials.The tested recovered materials originate both from a "closed loop recycling" (using the company production scraps and the wasted sinks) and from an "open loop recycling" (using the production waste of other national industries).The full recycling of raw materials allowed to reduce the consumption of virgin material from primary extraction (such as quartz and cristobalite), typically transported from distant areas of the world. This in turn allowed to consistently reduce the energy consumption and carbon emissions, thereby limiting the environmental and economic impacts of the industrial production process.
- The first ‘green sinks’ demonstrate the feasibility of 100 % substitution of primary resources by the treatment and recycling of 80% of MMA and PMMA used in the manufacture of composite sinks.
- The tested recovered materials originate both from a "closed loop recycling" and from an "open loop recycling".
- The full recycling of raw materials allowed to reduce the consumption of virgin material.
- This in turn allowed to consistently reduce the energy consumption and carbon emissions, thereby limiting the environmental and economic impacts of the industrial production process.
- The estimated environmental benefits:
- 56.3% reduction of CO2 emissions
- 64.5% reduction of energy consumption
- significant reduction of the scraps and waste to be landfilled.