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PAPERCHAIN · Project

Turning Paper Mill Waste Into Raw Materials for Construction, Mining & Chemicals

manufacturingPilotedTRL 7
paperchain.eu

Paper factories across Europe produce 11 million tonnes of waste every year — ash, calcium carbonate, fibres — and most of it goes straight to landfill. PAPERCHAIN figured out how to turn that waste into useful raw materials for five completely different industries: they mixed paper mill ash into asphalt and concrete for roads, used it in railway track foundations, as soil covers for old mines, and even as a chemical feedstock to produce ethanol and ethyl chloride. They didn't just test it in a lab — they built real road sections, real rail foundations, and real mine covers, then monitored how they performed over time.

By the numbers
11M
tonnes of paper waste generated yearly in EU
5
circular economy models demonstrated
920
paper plants in Europe
180K
direct jobs in EU paper industry
5.4B
tonnes raw materials consumed by construction yearly
20B
tons mining waste needing safe covers yearly
22
consortium partners from 5 countries
10
demonstrator deliverables
The business problem

What needed solving

Europe's paper industry produces 11 million tonnes of waste yearly, most of it landfilled at significant cost. Meanwhile, construction consumes 5.4 billion tonnes of virgin raw materials annually and mining generates 20 billion tons of waste needing environmental covers. This waste-to-landfill model costs paper companies disposal fees and misses an opportunity to supply cheaper alternatives to resource-hungry industries.

The solution

What was built

Five pilot-scale circular economy demonstrations: paper waste used in asphalt roads and concrete (Case 1), road stabilized soil layers (Case 2), railway track composite materials (Case 3), chemical feedstock for ethanol and ethyl chloride (Case 4), and mine waste covers at Boliden's facilities in Sweden (Case 5). All monitored for technical and environmental performance.

Audience

Who needs this

Road construction and asphalt companiesMining companies with waste cover needsChemical manufacturers (ethanol, ethyl chloride, Bermocoll)Paper and pulp mills seeking waste valorisationRailway infrastructure companies
Business applications

Who can put this to work

Road construction & asphalt production
mid-size to enterprise
Target: Road construction companies, asphalt producers, municipal infrastructure contractors

If you're a road construction company or asphalt producer, PAPERCHAIN demonstrated that paper mill ash can be used in asphalt and concrete mixes for road applications. They built a pilot road section and monitored its technical and environmental performance over time. This could help you cut raw material costs — the construction sector consumes 5.4 billion tonnes of raw materials annually — while meeting growing EU demands for recycled content in public procurement tenders.

Mining & waste management
enterprise
Target: Mining companies with waste deposits requiring environmental covers

If you operate mines with open waste deposits that need environmental covers, PAPERCHAIN piloted using paper industry waste as soil cover material at Boliden's mining facilities in Sweden. The mining industry generates up to 20 billion tons of solid waste yearly that needs environmental safety covers, typically using expensive borrow materials hauled from elsewhere. The project demonstrated and monitored these paper waste covers as a potentially cheaper alternative.

Chemical manufacturing
SME to enterprise
Target: Chemical companies producing ethanol, ethyl chloride, or cellulose derivatives

If you produce ethanol, ethyl chloride, or cellulose-based chemicals like Bermocoll, PAPERCHAIN demonstrated that paper mill waste streams can serve as chemical feedstock. They piloted the intensification of ethanol production and continuous synthesis of ethyl chloride from paper waste-derived inputs. The chemical industry consumes 1 billion tonnes of raw materials — using paper waste as feedstock could lower your input costs while improving ESG metrics.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

How much does it cost compared to conventional materials?

Based on available project data, the cost advantage comes from two sides: paper mill waste is cheaper than virgin raw materials (aggregate, sand, borrow materials), and landfill disposal costs for paper waste are eliminated. The project performed techno-economic assessments for all 5 circular cases, but specific cost figures are not published in the deliverable summaries — detailed numbers would require contacting the coordinator.

Does it work at industrial scale, or just in the lab?

This went beyond the lab. PAPERCHAIN built and monitored pilot installations across all 5 circular cases: actual road sections with paper ash asphalt, concrete structures, railway track foundations with new composite materials, mine covers at Boliden's Swedish facilities, and chemical production runs including ethanol intensification and ethyl chloride synthesis. These are pilot-scale demonstrations in operational environments.

Is the technology patented or open access?

As an EU Innovation Action, consortium members retain IP rights to their specific innovations. Process parameters and performance data are documented in public deliverables available on CORDIS. Commercial use of specific formulations would require a licensing or collaboration agreement with the relevant consortium partner. Contact the coordinator (ACCIONA) for details.

Does the recycled material meet construction standards?

The project addressed regulatory compliance — pilot road sections and concrete structures were monitored for both technical and environmental performance, with midterm and final assessments completed for all 5 circular cases. However, construction standards vary by country and application, so the detailed performance reports would need to be checked against specific national requirements.

What volumes of paper waste can these applications absorb?

According to the project data, the EU paper industry generates 11 million tonnes of waste yearly. The construction sector consumes 5.4 billion tonnes of raw materials annually, and mining generates up to 20 billion tons of waste needing covers. The 5 parallel applications — roads, concrete, railways, mining, chemicals — diversify the outlets, so no single market needs to absorb all the waste.

Consortium

Who built it

Strongly industry-led: 13 of 22 partners (59%) are private companies, coordinated by ACCIONA — one of Europe's largest construction firms. The consortium covers the full value chain: paper producers (waste suppliers), construction companies (waste users), mining operators including Boliden (cover applications), and chemical companies (feedstock users). 5 research organizations and 3 universities provide scientific support. 2 SMEs add agility. Partners span 5 countries (Spain, France, Portugal, Sweden, Slovenia), covering Southern, Western, and Northern European markets. The coordinator being a major construction company — not a university — signals strong commercial intent.

How to reach the team

ACCIONA Construccion SA, Spain

Order a report on this consortiumSee ACCIONA CONSTRUCCION SA profile →
Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Interested in using paper industry waste in your construction, mining, or chemical operations? SciTransfer can connect you with the PAPERCHAIN consortium, navigate IP discussions, and help plan a pilot at your site.

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