Treatment and Exploitation of Waste Coming from Quarry Industries: Reuse as Aggregate

Abstract

The recovery and reuse of Quarry Waste (QW) has to be included in a wider discussion concerning the exploitation and the rationalization of the natural resources. Using waste from resource can be a potential benefits for both the environment and human health (because of the reduction of waste in dumps—with a consequent potential pollution hazard—and because of the preservation of land—not occupied by waste dumping). Our imperative must be not only to find new “scopes” for recycled products but also to make such “new products” competitive. Thanks to the systematic exploitation of QW it will be possible to reduce the pressure on Raw Materials (RM). The use of produced Secondary Raw Materials (SRM) and of “NEW PRODUCTS” obtained will preserve the environment, in fact on the one hand the exploitation of RM will be integrated by the use of such “NEW PRODUCTS and SRM” and, on the other hand, QW systematic reuse will decrease the waste disposal in dumps, with a consequent land preservation. Air and soil pollution will be reduced minimizing the amount of waste in dumps. The paper outlines some considerations about European and Italian regulations and some interesting results of QW employment for Large Public Works in Piedmont Region (NW Italy).