Midterm Report - Foundry sand project

Transcription

Re-use of surplus foundry sand by composting
LIFE13 ENV/FI/285
Midterm Report
Covering the project activities from 01/08/2014 to 30/04/2016
Reporting Date
03/06/2016
LIFE-Foundrysand
Project Data
Project location
Finland
Project start date:
01/08/2014
Project end date:
31/03/2018 Extension date: -
Total Project duration
(in months)
44 months
Total budget
2,051,644 €
Total eligible budget
1,992,144 €
EU contribution:
996,070 €
(%) of total costs
50 %
(%) of eligible costs
Beneficiary Data
Name Beneficiary
Meehanite Technology Ltd
Contact person
Ms Sara Tapola
Postal address
Kuokkamaantie 4, 33800 Tampere
Visit address
Kuokkamaantie 4, 33800 Tampere
Telephone
+358 40 5518761
Fax:
E-mail
[email protected]
Project Website
www.life-foundrysand.com
1. List of content
1.
2.
3.
4.
List of content ..................................................................................................................... 2
Executive Summary ............................................................................................................ 4
Introduction......................................................................................................................... 8
Administrative part ........................................................................................................... 10
4.1 Description of the management system ......................................................................... 10
4.2 Evaluation of the management system........................................................................... 17
5. Technical part.................................................................................................................... 18
5.1. Technical progress, per task .......................................................................................... 18
5.1.1 A1 Preparation of compost sites in Finland and Spain......................................................... 18
5.1.2 B1 Surplus sand quality control and sand samples process in foundries............................. 20
5.1.3 B2 Compost processing on laboratory scale ........................................................................ 24
5.1.4 B3 Composting in Finland..................................................................................................... 32
5.1.5 B4 Composting in Spain........................................................................................................ 41
5.1.6 B5 Biological and project outcomes..................................................................................... 46
5.1.7 B6 Conclusions...................................................................................................................... 49
5.1.8 C1 Project monitoring .......................................................................................................... 50
5.1.9 D1 Notice boards and the Layman’s report ......................................................................... 52
5.1.10 D2 Website and social media ............................................................................................. 53
5.1.11. D3 Events........................................................................................................................... 54
5.1.12. D4 Publications and the dissemination material............................................................... 55
5.1.13. E1 Project management and reporting by Meehanite...................................................... 56
5.1.14. E2 Networking with other LIFE Projects............................................................................ 57
5.1.15. E3 After Life Communication Plan..................................................................................... 59
5.1.16. E4 Project auditing ............................................................................................................ 60
5.2 Dissemination actions .................................................................................................... 61
5.2.1 Objectives ............................................................................................................................. 61
5.2.2
Dissemination: overview per activity ............................................................................ 61
5.3 Evaluation of Project implementation............................................................................ 67
5.4 Analysis of long-term benefits ....................................................................................... 71
6. Comments on the financial report..................................................................................... 78
6.1. Summary of Costs Incurred....................................................................................... 78
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2. Executive Summary
The overall objective of the LIFE-Foundrysand project is to support the sustainable
production and waste prevention and recycling by studying how different foundry sand
types can be cleaned and hazardous organic compounds eliminated by the innovative
composting method piloted in this project. The aim of the LIFE-Foundrysand project is to
keep contaminated foundry waste sands away from landfills that in coming years have
more and more limited capacity, and to establish and improve acceptance of this generally
valuable cleaned and recycled soil material to be used for geo-engineering applications in
the future.
The design of the pilot test arrangements started in autumn 2014 in Finland (Action A1).
The first environmental permit for pilot tests to be carried out in Pälkäne, Finland was
delivered to the Regional State Administrative Agency (RSAA) in November 2014. Pilot
site designs and drawings were made in cooperation with Humuspehtoori Oy, Meehanite
Technology Ltd, AX-LVI Consulting Ltd and Salaojakeskus Oy.
Humuspehtoori Oy and Biopap Oy decided to withdrawn from the Foundrysand project in
February 2015. Humuspehtoori was responsible for composting test activities in Finland
(Action B3). Humuspehtooori decided to withdraw from the project because of an
unforeseen large increase of more than 100, 000 – 500, 000 € in the costs needed for the
pilot site construction work. The increase in costs was due to new unforeseen
requirements stated in the environmental permit granted by RSAA.
Biopap was the company making the biological and chemical analyses of the Finnish
composting tests in the project (Action B5). Biopap withdrew from the project because of
an unforeseeable change in work load in 2015. The company is a one-man company and
therefore no other employee can be allocated to project activities.
After receiving the announcement from Humuspehtoori for leaving the project completely
in February 2015, the coordinating beneficiary started to look for other partner candidates
in Pirkanmaa area. A new suitable partner was found and the preparations of the new pilot
site environmental permit were started. The new partner is Pirkanmaan
Jätehuolto (Tampere Regional Solid Waste Management Ltd) and they have an existing
waste treatment center (landfill) in Nokia. Some clarifications were requested by
authorities and the revised environmental permit for pilot tests in Koukkujärvi, Nokia was
received on 18th June 2015. The pilot site preparation work was completed in August
2015. In Spain there was no need for environmental permit since Ormaiztegi pilot site had
the environmental permit existing already. Also the pilot site needed no additional work or
preparation work before the pilot tests (Action B4).
In the original Grant agreement Biopap provided biological and chemical analyses for the
project in action B5. In the new project structure AX and the new partner Eurofins
Viljavuuspalvelut Ltd (Eurofins) will divide the activities of Biopap in action B5 between
them. AX will carry out the sampling procedure, collect the samples and deliver them to
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Eurofins. Eurofins will do the biological and chemical analyses and deliver the results to
AX. AX will be responsible for reporting of the results.
The revised amendment request was delivered to the Commission on 23rd November 2015
because the partnership changes were regarded as substantial. Project overall activities
and total costs did not change but there were some changes between cost categories. The
Partnership Agreements with the new partners were made and PA’s of the existing
partners were revised and submitted parallel with the amendment request. The AR was
approved and signed on 3rd February 2016.
The withdrawn of these two partners cased a lot of unforeseen extra work for the
coordinator in the preparation activities in action A1 Preparation activities in Finland and
also some delays in this action but did not effect on the project overall timetable to start
with the composting tests in action B3 according to the Grant Agreement.
In the action B1 Surplus sand quality control and sand samples in foundries, guidelines of
treating and handling the surplus foundrysand in foundries will be provided. Based on the
project first composting test results in summer 2015 and experiences from his previous
projects, the draft version of the guidelines for surplus foundry sand and its assessment of
applicability in composting are produced by Mr Devendra Maharjan from the Aalto
yliopisto as a master of science of technology thesis. The guidelines will be updated in the
final report when more results of foundrysand qualities are available and when the
ongoing MARA –asetus (Valtioneuvoston asetus eräiden eräiden jätteiden
hyödyntämisestä maanrakentamisessa 591/2006, Government decree of some waste reuse
in geo-construction work) will be finalised by the end of 2017. The new recommendations
will be taken into account in the guidelines and recommendations for foundries in quality
control system.
Compost processing on laboratory scale (action B2) tests started in March 2015 by
Helsinki University. Final results are presented in this midterm report. Small scale tests
were carried out in Jokimaa experiment field site in Lahti and in laboratory premises.
Results are presented in the Deliverable B2 Compost processing on laboratory scale
(Annex 1). A master of thesis work was produced of these test results by Ms Johanna
Pollari from University of Helsinki. The tests were not as successfully as needed and
therefore more laboratory scale tests will be made in 2016 to get more concreate and
valuable information of the optimal and critical parameters affecting for composting
method. This action will continue until the end of 2016.
In action B3 Composting tests in Finland the pilot tests are carried out in summer 2015
and in winter (December-June) 2015-2016 according to the Grant Agreement. Six test
heaps were constructed and tested in summer 2016 and three double-sized test heaps were
are currently tested for winter tests in Koukkujärvi pilot site. Meehanite Technology is
responsible for the test arrangements in cooperation with the new partner, Pirkanmaan
Jätehuolto. Results from the first tests in summer 2015 were promising and tests were
successfully completed. New summer test heaps size were constructed in May 2016 and
tests be completed in November 2016. Also the meadow test was constructed in May 2016
in the same pilot site where foundry sand will be added in the humus layer and e.g. oat
seems are planted. Aim is to study how the hazardous organic compounds from foundry
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sand will be eliminated from the humus layer. This test will end in October 2016
according to the Grant Agreement.
Tecnalia started the composting tests in August 2015 (Action B4). Tecnalia constructed
three small size test heaps representing different types of foundrysand specimens. The
tests were completed in March 2016. Results are reported in this midterm report but some
samples are still being analysed. The kick-off meeting with Tecnalia and Meehanite was
arranged in Bilbao on 15.4.2014 and pilot sites and test arrangements were presented and
discussed. Tecnalia visited the Finnish pilot site for learning on 30th June 2016. Meehanite
visited and checked the pilot site arrangements of Tecnalia in Spain in the beginning of
March 2016. Summer 2016 tests will start after the final analyses are made and the
demolition of the test heaps of autumn 2015 tests can start.
Original partner, Biopap Oy, was responsible for the activities in action B5 Biological and
chemical analyses. The analyses originally planned to Biopap are re-allocated to the new
partner Eurofins Viljavuuspalvelu Ltd and to AX Cunsulting Ltd. They will be responsible
for the chemical and biological analyses. AX-LVI Consulting Ltd will do the sampling
procedure, deliver the samples from Koukkujärvi pilot site to Eurofins for analyses. The
analyses to be made were decided in the kick-off project meeting and these are according
to the environmental permit approved by the RSAA authority. Results are reported to the
local environmental authorities at Centre for Economic Development and Transport and
Environment (Pirkanmaan ELY-keskus) and also Environmental authorities in Nokia
Community and waste treatment plant in Nokia are informed. Test results are evaluated
and controlled by project partners in Action C1 in project quality control meetings (6
meetings in 2015). Results are reported in the action B3 Composting tests in Finland B3
and action B4 Composting tests in Spain.
The overall progress of the project activities are followed in action C1 Project monitoring
by project partners. In 2015 six quality control meetings were arranged and composting
test results were discussed and future tests and activities were decided.
Communication activities are reported in actions D and they are progressing as planned.
Meehanite is responsible for these activities. Notice board was placed on pilot site in
Koukkujärvi on May 2015 and in Spain in August 2015 for test trials.
Project website was opened in January 2015 (www.life-foundrysand.com). Website is the
key platform for exchange of information between partners as well as with wider
interested audience has been established and will be continuously updated.
Two articles have been published in the AX magazine in 2014 and 2015. Helsinki
University will produce two technical publications on 2016 and 2017 in relevant
magazines of the laboratory scale test results. Project leaflet, roll-up and poster models
were updated in March 2015 with new partners and these were delivered to the partners
for dissemination purposes. Meehanite and AX have participated in 10 relevant happening
and events presenting the project activities in 2015 and until April 2016. Meehanite read a
paper in Finnish foundry association annual seminar in March 2016 where foundry
representatives were present. The composting method and the results were widely
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discussed in the seminar. More events will be participated and results will be disseminated
after all tests are completed and results are available.
Project management activities are carried out in actions E. In total 11 project meetings
were arranged in 2015 including project overall technical and financial issues and
reporting, detailed planning of actions and progress and delays in actions. Steering
Committee meetings were merged into project meetings because the project consortium is
very small and same persons are involved in the project meetings are also participating in
project activities and are responsible for the cost reporting. In project meetings high-level
management issues like amendments to the work plan, financial matters and monitoring of
the project are decided. Costs are reported to the coordinator every 4th month by the
partners. Meehanite is responsible for technical and financial reporting to the Commission
in progress reports.
Inception report was submitted to the Commission on 30th of April 2015 covering the
period of 1st of August 2014 to 30th of April 2016.
Two monitoring meetings were arranged with NEEMO EEI Monitoring Team on
4.9.2015 and on 11.5.2016.
In spite of the withdrawn of two original partners no changes in the project actions and
overall objectives have occurred. Project actions are in timetable and objectives will be
successfully reached based on the results gained already from the first composting tests.
All activities will be implemented as planned and according to the Grant Agreement.
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3. Introduction
The aim of the LIFE Foundrysand project is to keep contaminated foundry waste sands
away from landfills that in coming years have more and more limited capacity, and to
establish and improve acceptance of this generally valuable cleaned and recycled soil
material to be used for geo-engineering applications in the future. In Europe, around 18 M
tons of foundry waste sand is left over every year and in many cases big landfills do not
have enough capacity to deposit those large amounts of waste sand. In most countries
several smaller landfills are being closed and replaced by large so called “EU landfills”, so
the distances and transport costs to the landfills are also increasing for the foundry
companies and alternative ways of treating those wastes in a more environmental friendly
way have to be found. The main idea is to study the quality target of the piloted specimens
to fulfil the product requirements for re-using the cleaned sand as substitute ground
construction materials or other soil-like materials for geo-engineering applications.
Therefore, the specific objectives are to:
 develop a new method for cleaning and re-using foundry sand through
composting;
 produce guides on practical level for foundries and suppliers of the cleaning
service in Europe;
 implement the procedure for foundries to minimize their wastes, for reducing the
operational costs for foundries and therefore saving energy;
 improve acceptance of this valuable material (the cleaned foundry sand) for
agricultural and geo-engineering applications, especially in areas of low humus
content in soils this can be a valuable exercise to create soil as an artificial layer in
order to improve fertility, and to substitute synthetic fertilizers.
There is a future vision of this sustainable composting system (or service) that can be
transferred to the areas where several foundries operate in the same region to clean the
surplus foundry sand for reuse purposes. There are about 4000 sand foundries in Europe –
estimated 200 of them could apply this new method by 2020 and 1000 in Europe by
2025. At the moment only the foundries equipped with the thermal sand reclamation can
treat surplus sand in sustainable way. They do it in recycling but not in disposing yet
while this is expensive and not obligatory.
In the first phase the innovative composting method, an optimized process will be
established including the optimized receipts, optimized reaction conditions, adequate
quality control and detailed product specifications. Based on these experiences an
economic validation of the method will be carried out. That is the basis to convince the
future consumers and financers to guarantee the sustainability (there is a clear and proven
market need).
The targets of the project address and support the following EU Targets (Mainstreaming
sustainable development into EU policies: 2009 review of the European Union Strategy
for Sustainable Development; Brussels, 24.07.2009):
 Climate change (and clean energy);
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 Sustainable (consumption and) production and waste prevention;
 Conservation and management of natural resources.
The project activities support the EU Waste Frame Directive (2008/98/EC) in increasing
the reuse of the industrial waste in other applications and increasing the recycling of
waste instead of landfilling. Project aim is to reduce the amount of surplus foundry sand
to be landfilled and to find cost-effective innovate method to reuse the industrial waste in
geo-engineering applications.
Within the goal "climate change impact" it shall be found out if the new process will be
advantageous with respect to methane, CO, and CO2 production by microbiological
degradation.
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4. Administrative part
4.1 Description of the management system
Overall progress of the project activities is controlled by the coordinator (Meehanite).
Coordinator, Mr Markku Tapola, who is responsible for project technical
implementation and progress of pilot tests and planning the future test arrangements.
Project manager, Ms Sara Tapola is responsible for financial and technical reporting
for the Commission. Partners are responsible for cost reporting assisted by the project
manager.
In total 11 project meetings were arranged with project partners and relevant
stakeholders. Dates, agendas and participants of meetings are presented in table below.
In project meetings progress of actions, results, and future activities with test
arrangements were planned and discussed. Also the administrative and financial issues
were handled in these meetings. In addition to the project partners also relevant
representatives like authorities from Centre for Economic Development, Transport and
the Environment, Pirkanmaa, Environmental authorities from Nokia Community,
Nokian Vesi (waste water treatment plant in Nokia) and foundry representatives were
invited. More relevant stakeholders will be contacted and invited to the meetings and
excursions will be arranged in summer 2016.
Memos were mailed to the participants and they are placed on the project website
(www.life-foundrysand.com) on private site. Steering Committee meetings were
merged into project meetings because the size of the consortium is very small in this
project and same persons are involved in project overall meetings where high-level
management issues like amendments to the work plan, financial matters and
monitoring of the project were decided.
Two monitoring meetings with Neemo EEIG monitoring team members were also
arranged (2015 and 2016).
Agenda
Kick-off meeting in London
Project meeting in Lahti
Project kick-off meeting in Tampere
Time
20.10.2014
21.1.2015
25.2.2015
Negotiations with new partner Eurofins
Project monitoring meeting with Ms Inta Duce
and Ms Sonja Jaari and project
representatives
Project meeting with Tecnalia, Spain
29.4.2015
9.4.2015
15-16.4.2015
Participants
Meehanite
Helsinki University, Meehanite
Meehanite, AX, Helsinki
University, Biopap, Aalto
University
Eurofins, AX, Meehanite
Neemo EEIG, Helsinki
University, AX, Meehanite
Tecnalia, Meehanite, Aalto
University
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Project meeting and excursion to pilot site
30.6.2015
Project management, administrative issues,
situation with composting tests, results and
analyses
Project presentation to authorities and local
water companies
3.9.2015
Project meeting with partners, authorities,
and foundry representatives. Project activities
and results of summer 2015 pilot tests
Meeting with Evira for presenting the results
of LIFE project so far and the composting endproduct
Project meeting in Spain with Tecnalia and
pilot site visit by Meehanite
Project meeting with Helsinki University of the
lab scale test results and additional tests in
2016
25.11.2015
Project monitoring meeting with Ms Sonja
Jaari and project representatives.
Summer 2016 test planning with Hki
University
11.5.2016
9.9.2015
19.1.2016
Tecnalia, Helsinki University
(HU), AX, Meehanite
Eurofins, Meehanite, AX
Centre for Economic
Development, Transport and
the Environment, Pirkanmaa,
Nokia City, Pirkanmaan
Jätehuolto (PJH), Nokian Vesi
Oy, Meehanite, AX
Componenta Pori Oyj, Alteams
Oy, Nokia City, Aalto University,
HU, Eurofins, Meehanite and AX
Finnish Food Safety Authority
Evira, AX, Meehanite
2-3.3.2016
Tecnalia, Meehanite
19.4.2016
Martin Romantshuk (SC
member), Olli-Pekka Penttinen,
Johanna Pollari (HU), Seppo
Heinänen (AX), Sara Tapola and
Markku Tapola (Meehanite)
Neemo EEIG, HU, AX,
Meehanite
Project actions are planned in meetings with partners responsible and involved in each
action. Coordinator will invite the partners for meeting where detailed planning of
activities will be made and decided. During the tests meetings are arranged and
coordinator will visit the pilot sites for check-up. Progress of the tests will be followed
by emails, phone calls and test results delivery. When all results are available these
will be handled in project meetings will all partners.
Project activities are reported in project memos. Meetings are arranged regularly in
Finland with all partners so beneficiaries are informed and updated of project activities
and future activities.
Tecnalia´s activities in Spain related to the composting tests and dissemination
activities are discussed in emails and phone calls with Patricia Caballero and the
coordinator Markku Tapola and project manager Sara Tapola. Three meetings with
Tecnalia have been arranged in 2015-March 2016. Tecnalia will visit Finland in
summer 2016 to see the new test arrangements and updating the project future other
activities.
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Costs are reported and invoices mailed to the coordinator every 4th month. Coordinator
is responsible for technical and financial reporting to the Commission in progress
reports.
Project coordinating beneficiary and associated beneficiaries
Coordinating beneficiary
Meehanite Technology Oy is the coordinating beneficiary of the project. Meehanite is
a young company (established in 2009) in the field of environmental engineering like
emission control, odours abatement and energy saving options of different industry
sectors. Meehanite personnel have been working as coordinating beneficiary in four
LIFE projects since 2006. Meehanite is responsible for administrative and financial
reporting of the project (Action E1). Meehanite is the contact partner with the
Commission. Meehanite is responsible for progress reporting, midterm and final
reporting in cooperation with the associated beneficiaries. Meehanite requests
financial documents and invoices from beneficiaries about every 4th month. Or more
often if needed to be updated of the current cost reporting and cost categories.
Meehanite is also responsible for project progress and monitoring activities and
quality control in Action C1. Meehanite will also participate in producing the project
dissemination materials and notice boards (Actions D1 and D4). The dissemination
materials are reported in section 5.2.2 Dissemination activities.
Meehanite is responsible for action B3 Composting activities in Finland.
Associated beneficiaries
AX-LVI Consulting Ltd:
AX-LVI Consulting was established in 2006. The Environmental Unit of AX
Consulting is specializing in environmental engineering and air pollution control
design, measurement services (industrial processes, industrial hygiene, boiler, noise
and HPAC), energy analyses, safety studies, risk analyses and life cycle assessment.
During piloting studies all relevant environmental impacts will be investigated. These
are: dust that is emitted from windrows in normal condition and mixing treatment,
gases and odours (according the odour panel standard EN13725) and noise emission
will be measured while transport and mixing the heaps. The impacts dispersion will be
modelled around the test site in 2015 and 2016. Weather conditions (temperature,
wind, rain, humidity, cloudiness, shine) will also be controlled continuously in pilot
site by AX.
AX will be responsible for the biological and chemical control of the field tests in
action B5. AX will carry out the sample procedure of the composting materials and
waste waters. Samples will be delivered to Eurofins for analyses. AX will report the
results.
Tecnalia Research & Innovation:
Tecnalia is responsible for field tests in Spain (Action B4). Composting field tests will
be tested also in Spain in order to study the climate impacts in this innovative
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composting method. Tecnalia will construct the tests heaps and report the test results.
Tecnalia is responsible for carrying out the laboratory tests by their own laboratory
services. Tecnalia has a test field area where the composting tests will be carried out.
Tecnalia will also participate in project dissemination activities and in relevant events
(Action D3). Tecnalia will be in contact in Spanish authorities and disseminate the
project results to relevant stakeholders in Spain (D4).
Helsinki University:
HU is responsible for the laboratory scale tests (Action B2). Small scale containers
each of size about 200 kg will be used for composting tests. Same sand specimen will
be used as in composting tests in Koukkujärvi pilot site. Duration of each treatment
was about three months. Laboratory tests were carried out in summer 2015. Also
outdoor experiments at Jokimaa test field in Lahti were made.
The master of thesis work will be produced of the test arrangements by Ms Johanna
Pollari in autumn 2016. Prof. Olli-Pekka Penttinen is responsible for the Helsinki
University activities. Laboratory personnel will carry out the analyses of the pilot tests
with Ms Pollari (hired for project work).
HU will participate in project monitoring activities evaluating the test results and
project deliverables with other partners. HU will also participate in relevant events and
seminars during the project. HU will also produce articles in relevant magazines in
cooperation with coordinating beneficiary.
Pirkanmaan Jätehuolto:
PJH is responsible for composting field tests in Finland (Action B3). PJH will provide
a test field site of size about 2000 m2 at the Koukkujärvi landfill area for project
purposes and they will construct the test heaps, maintain the composting heaps and
monitor the test arrangements and quality control. They will also take care of the endproduct material and use it at the landfill site. PJH will provide the device, personnel
and field test area for project purposes. PJH will participate in project meetings. PJH
will invite relevant stakeholders and authorities to visit the field site for disseminating
purposes.
Viljavuuspalvelu Eurofins:
Eurofins Viljavuuspalvelut Ltd has over 16.000 employees across 200 sites in 36
countries, Eurofins is the leading international group of laboratories providing an
unparalleled range of testing and support services to the pharmaceutical, food,
agricultural, environmental and consumer products industries and to governments
Eurofins in Mikkeli will work in the project for composting material and waste water
analysis services. AX will gather the samples and deliver these to Eurofins for
analyses. Eurofins will analyse all the sand specimens, composting materials and
waste waters of composting tests in Finland (Action B5). Eurofins will also participate
in project meetings (Action E1) and quality control of test results (Action C1).
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Project organigramme
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The overall progress of the project
Action
Number/name
action
A1. Preparation of
compost sites in
Finland and Spain
2014
of
B1. Surplus sand
quality control
B2. Compost
processing on lab scale
B3. Composting in
Finland
B4. Composting in
Spain
B5. Biological and
chemical control
B6. Conclusions and
project outcomes
C1. Project monitoring
D1. Notice boards and
the Layman’s report
D2. Website and social
media
D3. Events
D4. Publications and
the dissemination
materials
E1. Project
management and
reporting by Meehanite
E2. Networking with
other LIFE projects
III
IV
2015
I
II
III
IV
2016
I
II
III
IV
2017
I
II
III
IV
2018
I
Planned
Actual
Planned
Actual
Planned
Actual
Planned
Actual
Planned
Actual
Planned
Actual
Planned
Actual
Planned
Actual
Planned
Actual
Planned
Actual
Planned
Actual
Planned
Actual
Planned
Actual
Planned
Actual
E3. After LIFE
communication plan
Planned
E4. Project auditing
Actual
Planned
Actual
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Amendment no 1 to the Grant Agreement
Humuspehtoori Oy and Biopap Oy decided to withdrawn from the Foundrysand project in
February 2015. Humuspehtoori was responsible for composting test activities in Finland
(Action B3). Humuspehtooori decided to withdraw from the project because of an unforeseen
large increase of more than 100, 000 – 500, 000 € in the costs needed for the pilot site
construction work. The increase in costs was due to new unforeseen requirements stated in the
environmental permit granted by RSAA.
Biopap was the company making the biological and chemical analyses of the Finnish
composting tests in the project (Action B5). Biopap withdrew from the project because of an
unforeseeable change in work load in 2015. The company is a one-man company and
therefore no other employee can be allocated to project activities.
Amendment request to the Grant Agreement was submitted to the Commission on 23rd of
October 2015 for the following reason:
1) Changes in the partnership structure: Two partners, Humuspehtoori Oy and Biopap
have withdrawn from the Foundrysand project in February 2015 and two potential
new partners Pirkanmaan Jätehuolto (PJH) and Eurofins Viljavuuspalvelu were found
who had the competence to complete the tasks set in the Grant agreement. PJH entered
the project on 02.03.2015 and Eurofins on 1.5.2015.
2) Substantial changes to the project budget: A revised budget was proposed and
approved in the amendment request. No changes in the total eligible costs or EU
contribution are made. Cost increase of 36.429 € are foreseen in the cost category
Consumables and they will be re-allocated from the cost category Other costs.
3) Prolongation of project period: A six month extension of the project period is
expected. Prolongation is needed because the partnership changes caused delays in
project actions (B2 Compost processing on laboratory scale and B3 Composting in
Finland). The extension is needed to ensure that the quality of the dissemination
activities of the project results is achieved and relevant authorities and policy makers
are contacted and informed about project final outcomes. Deadlines for the
deliverables and milestones are postponed accordingly.

No need for the requested prolonging is foreseen based on the summerautumn 2015 tests that were completed successfully by Meehanite and
Pirkanmaan Jätehuolto in Finland. Prolonging was request until 03/2018.
Based on the test results from 2015, there is no need for additional tests
anymore in summer 2017. Winter tests in 2015-2016 and summer tests in
2016 will be carried out as planned. This will effect on the project
timetable. Tests can be completed by the end of 2016 and project could be
finalised by 09/2017 according to the original Grant Agreement.
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The AR was approved and signed by the Commission on 3rd February 2016
4.2 Evaluation of the management system
Project management system has progressed as planned. In 2015 in total 11 project
meetings were arranged of overall progress and financial reporting issues. Meetings will
be arranged also regularly in the future (about every 3-4 months) to update the project
activities and plan the future activities. Dates, agendas and participants of the arranged
meetings are listed above. Because of the small size of the project consortium, relevant
key persons were present in the project meetings and the decision could be made directly.
Technical activities are planned in cooperation with project coordinator Mr Tapola and
partners responsible. Project activities are presented in memos and mailed to participants
and placed on website. Progress of tests or revision needs are reported regularly to the
coordinator and results are discussed in quality control meetings where also the future
analyses of revise test arrangements are decided. In total 6 quality control meetings were
arranged in 2015. The dates and participants are listed in the table presented in action C1.
Project monitoring.
Communication with the Commission and Monitoring team is made by the project
manager. Ms Sara Tapola informs monitoring team member Ms Sonja Jaari of the project
progress regularly. All deliverables are mailed to the Commission with the progress
reports.
No problems related to the management of project or the partners have occurred.
17
5. Technical part
5.1. Technical progress, per task
5.1.1 A1 Preparation of compost sites in Finland and Spain
Implementation time of the action according to the Grant Agreement was 08/201406/2015. There was delay of one month in pilot site preparation work in Finland
because of the partnership changes and search for the new pilot site. Pilot site
preparation work was completed in August 2015. In Spain the pilot site of Tecnalia
was already existing and ready for test arrangements. In spite of delays this action has
been completed successfully.
No deliverables will be produced in this action.
Meehanite is responsible for this action.
Due to the partnership change the location of the pilot site had to be changed. The new
pilot site is situated in Koukkujärvi waste treatment center, Nokia, 25 km from
Tampere. Pirkanmaan Jätehuolto will provide the pilot site for project purposes and
composting tests in 2015-2017.
Because of the change in location, a new environmental permit application for LIFE
project pilot tests had to be made in May 2015. The permit was granted on 18.6.2015
after which the preparation of the pilot tests was started. There was a delay of three
months with the preparation activities because of the partnership change and the
preparation of a new site for composting test purposes.
Humuspehtoori was the beneficiary responsible for action A1 activities for preparation
work of the pilot site. Now Meehanite took over the responsibilities and arrangements
at the new pilot site in cooperation with Pirkanmaan Jätehuolto
According to the Grant Agreement a new pilot site with ground construction work and
waste water treatment system should have been constructed in Pälkäne for pilot test
purposes by Humuspehtoori. Because of the change of the location unforeseen
facilities and accessories were needed at the new pilot site in Koukkujärvi, Nokia. At
the new pilot site there was a water-tight asphalt layer existing on ground surface and
the waste water collection system from the whole landfill area. In the project we are
applied to follow the waste water quality from the pilot test heaps and therefore the
facilities for this purposes were constructed in the pilot site by Mehanite. Also other
accessories or facilities needed for test purposes were missing.
Following facilities and accessories were needed and constructed by Meehanite for
test purposes:
18
-
-
-
A cabin for carrying out measurements and storing measurement devices was needed
as there is no shelter/cabin at the site. This was needed to ensure the stable measuring
conditions including no humidity for the measuring devices and equal temperature in
the summer and the winter time.
Electric power and cables were constructed by Meehanite to the site. The cables were
constructed and installed from 100 meters away for test purposes.
Pipelines and water tanks were purchased for composting test heaps irrigation
purposes.
Pipelines for aerating and heating the test heaps were also constructed at the new site.
Heating and aerating systems were constructed and placed in the cabin.
Encapsulating area for waste waters of pilot tests was constructed to be able to
separate the waste waters from all other waste waters from the normal operation at the
site. These constructions are made from wood and timber and they will be reconstructed for new tests to avoid contamination of previous pilot tests and the
contaminants from the surrounding area when needed.
Winter covers were purchased for test purposes when needed.
The preparation activities of the pilot site are presented here but the costs of these
items, facilities, materials and external construction work needed are reported in action
B3 Composting tests in Finland according to the Grant Agreement.
The pilot site should have been ready in May 2015 according to the Grant agreement.
Due to the partnership changes in this action and search for the new pilot site the
construction work was started on 18.6.2015 and completed by the end of August 2015.
No major drawbacks and problems occurred after the new partner for pilot tests was
found and the pilot site was approved by RSAA authorities.
In Spain there was no need for environmental permission because the pilot site had
already existing permission from local authorities Composgune in Spain. The pilot test
arrangements were clarified and delivered to the local authority and tests were able to
start in August 2015. No additional construction work was needed for pilot tests at the
site.
This action was completed successfully by the end of August 2015
Costs:
Only personnel costs are reported in this action by Meehanite, Tecnalia and AX.
19
5.1.2 B1 Surplus sand quality control and sand samples process in foundries
Implementation time of the action according to the Grant Agreement is 10/201403/2015. This action had delays because of the withdrawn of the two partners.
Coordinator had full-time work until March 2015 to find new partners for the project.
This action was started later than planned in January and was completed in April 2015
when the master of science of technology thesis was made by Mr Devendra Maharjan
(Aalto University). The thesis is attached as Annex 1. Prof Juhani Orkas was the
supervisior of the work. This manual is attached in the thesis work in annex 1. It will
be updated during the project and final deliverable will be published under Action B6
Conclusions as “Practical guide: Surplus foundry sand quality controlling foundries”.
The deadline for this deliverable is 31/03/2018.
In the action B1 Surplus sand quality control and sand samples in foundries,
guidelines of treating and handling the surplus foundrysand in foundries will be
provided. Prof. Juhani Orkas visited the pilot foundries (3 foundries) to discuss the
project activities and sand quality control system in January-April 2015. Based on the
project first composting test results in summer 2015 and experiences from his
previous projects, the guidelines for surplus foundry sand and its assessment of
applicability in composting was produced by Mr Devendra Maharjan from the Aalto
University as a master of science of technology thesis. The guidelines and limit
values will be updated in the final report when more results of foundrysand qualities
are available and when the ongoing MARA –asetus (Valtioneuvoston asetus eräiden
jätteiden hyödyntämisestä maanrakentamisessa 591/2006, Government decree of
some waste reuse in geo-construction work) will be released by the end of 2017. The
changes in this decree will affect in the reuse applications of foundrysand in case
surplus foundrysand will be included in this list. Prof. Juhani Orkas is a member of
the UUMA –project Committee trying to include surplus foundrysand among this
decree. The guideline for surplus foundrysand quality control system will be updated
in Action B6 Conclusions when all results are available and the current revision work
concerning the reuse possibilities of foundry sand (MARA –asetus) in Finland will be
finalized in 2017. These new recommendations will be taken into account in the
guidelines and recommendations for foundries in reusing the surplus foundrysand.
The purpose of the Foundrysand project was to carry out research on reuse possibility
of surplus foundry sand in composting and develop a guideline for the Finnish
foundries to assist them in setting quality control system criteria to control the quality
of surplus foundry sand for composting and preventing any harm or risk to
environment, human and natural resources. The research in Foundrysand project was
made on the typical foundry sand specimens used such as alkaline phenolic sand, furan
sand and green sand that are used in Finnish foundries. The results of summer tests
2015 are reported in this thesis work and the draft version of the guidelines is
presented in this thesis in Annex 1.
20
The draft guideline contains the quality control system that meets the quality assurance
standard of inert waste landfills regulation (331/2013). The guideline prepared will
help Finnish foundries to monitor the fluctuation in the quality of their surplus foundry
sand. The description of the main stages and control mechanisms used for quality
control system of surplus foundry sand are shown in Figure 1 and Figure 2
respectively.
The main stages signify all the essential steps that are similar to the process required to
be performed by foundry before dumping waste foundry sand in landfills and steps
essential to get environmental permit.
Figure 1. The outline of main stages before quality control mechanism.
21
Figure 2. Sampling point in control mechanisms used for quality control system of
surplus foundry sand.
In order to landfill surplus foundry sands foundries are obliged to monitor the quality
of the surplus foundry sand. This is requested in the environmental permits of
foundries. In first stage foundries have to test surplus foundry sand to obtain the data
related to basic characterization of the composition and the leachability characteristics
of surplus foundry sand. The compliance testing shall be repeated at least once a year
to show that surplus foundry sand produced meets the threshold values set and that the
quality of surplus foundry sand fluctuation remains stable. The foundry should keep
record of compliance testing since these documents are useful for composter to get
environmental permit for composting.
Figure 2 illustrates suitable place in foundry system described to collect samples of
surplus foundry sand. Grains of foundry sand sample collected should be < 4mm. The
sampling vessel could be made out of plastic or metallic jar with the dimension that
exceeds the width of falling stream. It prevents the particles falling out of the vessel.
The sample which is half filled in the jar is preferred to be a minimum of 1 kg.
Samples need to be sealed and stored in dry and cool condition before delivering it to
the laboratory test. It is requested to include important information for example, the
sampling time, the name of the responsible person, and sampling site. The samples
should be sent without any pre-treatment to the laboratory.
The guidelines presented in this thesis work will follow the Finnish regulations and
qualify the approved standard for harmful components on soil. The foundries are
22
requested to check if samples from different sampling period are under the detection
level or standard. If the values of harmful components in the waste foundry sand are
under detection level, it is suitable for re-use; otherwise, risk assessment of surplus
foundry sand is needed. Risk assessment includes change in casting process or
changing the factors that affect the quality of surplus foundry sand.
The final deliverable of “Surplus sand quality control and sand samples process in
foundries will be attached in the final report in action B6 Conclusions by 31/3/2018/.
Costs: Only personnel costs are related to this action by Meehanite.
23
5.1.3 B2 Compost processing on laboratory scale
Implementation time of the action according to the Grant Agreement is 08/201412/2015. Due to the partnership changes this action was started later than planned
(March 2015) because the coordinator had full-time work to find new partners and a
new pilot site. Therefore it was not possible to deliver sand specimen and composting
materials to Helsinki University because we had not started the composting tests until
June 2015. First tests were reported in April 2016. Additional tests are needed because
the results of the first tests were not satisfactory. More details are provided in this
action. The deadline for this action is end of 2016. This will not have any remarkable
impacts on the total costs of this action. All activities will be carried out as planned.
The deadline for the deliverable ”Action B2 Results of compost processing on
laboratory scale for the field test optimization” was on 31/12/2015. The deliverable
was ready in April 2016. The deliverable is attached as Annex 2. The master of thesis
was made from the laboratory scale tests by Ms Johanna Pollari (University of
Helsinki) in spring 2016 and this will be attached in the final report. Prof Olli-Pekka
Penttinen was the supervisor of the thesis.
University of Helsinki (HU) is responsible for this action.
Helsinki University (HU) was focusing on short-term laboratory scale composting
tests using the same foundry sand specimen that will be used in B3 (Composting in
Finland). These controlled small scale indoor experiments were complemented by
outdoor experiments at Jokimaa test field in Lahti to understand the composting
process and it’s limitations in a small scale operational level vs. the test heaps of
bigger size.
Composting and analytical setup
A relatively small, ca. 5 m3 compost pile (length 4.2 m x width 1.5 m x maximum
height 0.8 m) was constructed to Jokimaa ground research station by HU technical
staff using mixture of straw and “organic” horse manure as a building material (Fig 3).
Dig- and-drop method was applied and composting sand material was placed in a
bucket size holes in the compost pile. Temperature of each treatment system and the
whole pile were continuously monitored by data loggers from 10th April to 22th April,
2015.
24
Figure 3. Small-scale outdoor compost treatment set-up for three foundry sand type in the
Jokimaa station.
Laboratory-scale composting testing, using green, phenolic and furan sands plus their
mixture (Foundry 50%), was performed at the Department of environmental sciences,
Lahti using the compost material from the test heaps constructed at Koukkujärvi pilot
site in June 2015. The composting process was followed over period of 8 week from
30th June to 21st August, 2015. The samples from each composter (400 g in triplicate)
for the chemical analyses were taken in days 0, 14, 28, 40 and 49 during the relatively
short composting period.
In the laboratory scale sand composting tests, all the chemical and biological analyses
excluding polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were carried out by Ramboll Analytics.
Quantification of PAHs was performed using Shimadzu GC-MS QP2010 Ultra being
an important part of MSc thesis work by BSc Johanna Pollari, and it was carried out in
at the Department of Environmental Sciences, Lahti.
Results:
Temperature of composting pile remained relatively low in the Jokimaa outdoor tests
during the short term composting period between 11th April and 22nd April 2015 (Fig
4). The results reflect both low outdoor temperature and small compost pile size. In
the laboratory composting tests under controlled room temperature equal time-related
temperature pattern was observed and the compost temperature never exceeded 50 °C
during composting process of eight week.
Foundry sand specimens have major differences in their chemical characteristics.
Furan sand had the lowest pH and the highest DOC concentration (see the Annex 2,
Table 3). Phenolic sand had logically the highest phenol index but also high fluoride
concentration. The green sand had the highest metal concentrations, and also relatively
high BTEX level. The concentration of the ionic forms of metals were low in all
foundry sand specimens
25
Figure 4. Temperature changes in the outdoor (left) and indoor (right) test composts during
spring and summer 2015 including phenolic, furan and green foundry sand specimens and
their mixture sand compost (blue line in right hand side figure).
The total concentrations of PAHs were decreased during foundry sand compost tests
(Fig. 5, Table 1). The results also showed that concentration of the naphthalene was
the highest among the 16 PAH compounds analyzed, followed by phenanthrene,
anthracene and fluorene. Changes in PAH concentrations during composting process
were directly related to the fate of small and volatile PAHs.
26
Table 1. The concentrations of PAH compounds at the beginning of the laboratory scale tests
Figure 5. Changes of total PAH concentrations during
eight weeks composting tests
Concentration of chloride and sulphates were the highest in furan sand. Phenolic sand
has the highest phenol index but opposite to sand only situation phenol index was
measurable also from all foundry sand specimens’ compost tests. Fluoride was found
only from 1) the mixture compost and 2) green sand. Nitrate levels were high both in
furan and green sand composts. Level of ammonium and phosphate were relatively
consistent in all foundry sand compost treatments. There was no clear time related
changes in concentrations of metals (total and soluble), total N and P, or BTEX during
eight weeks composting process. From the pathogens analyzed, Salmonella was not
detected but unfortunately E. coli was present in all foundry sand specimen tests after
the composting process.
Conclusions and future work (season 2016):
General conclusion of season 2015
In terms of experimental compost construction laboratory-scale was a challenging
starting point especially in Jokimaa outdoor experiments. However, it helped to
understand the composting process and it’s limitations compared the test heaps of
27
bigger size in Tampere experiments. Size truly matters also in composting. Similarly
indoor small-scale composting experiments at the Department of environmental
sciences were only partly successful. However, concentrations of PAH compounds,
fluoride and phenol index decreased during the composting process. Results also
indicated that waste water sludge used in the composting had high concentrations of
dissolved organic carbon (DOC), sulphate and phenols before mixing with other
composting materials. And opposite to Koukkujärvi experiments, in the end of the
composting tests, these concentrations were partly over the limit values demonstrating
unsuccessful composting process. End concentrations of fluoride and presence of
pathogen E. coli (>1000 cpu/g was exceeded only in one treatment) were another
negative indicators.
Outline of season 2016 laboratory experiments
In the future works we must focus on optimizing the small scale laboratory
composting process. Another relevant issue is monitoring the toxicity both of the
foundry sand specimens and compost including sand and different organic materials.
Therefore during the summer 2016 three set of experiments will be conducted at the
Department of Environmental Sciences, Lahti:
1) Optimized composting conditions – microbiologial approach
2) Ecotoxicity of foundry sand specimens – standardized tests
3) Effect directed analysis of foundry sand composts
Combination of these three research lines form a very novel approach and the third
part of it (EDA) consists of chemical analysis of different fractions and their specific
mode of action based toxicity evaluation. EDA section will be one part of PhD thesis
work of MSc Mari Dahl.
Compost optimizing process (June to September 2016)
Objectives
To investigate the optimal conditions and the driving abiotic and biotic parameters for
cleaning different surplus foundry sand types (furan, phenol and green sand) by
composting;
To promote a ready-to-use product/technique which could be applied for treatment of
surplus foundry sand on-site, in a bigger scale.
Time schedule:
Three months laboratory scale test: June to August 2016
One month data analyses: August to September 2016
Experiment setup and analytical methods
A laboratory test series will be established. The specimen amount shall be small (max.
10 kg) and the composting process could be conducted in a small container under
monitored conditions (e.g. temperature, moisture, aeration, pH).
A real-time approach for continuous monitoring will be installed. Samples will be
taken on weekly/ semi-monthly basis for chemical and microbiological analyses
28
(Tables 2 and 3). The progress of hazardous compounds degradation, nutrients,
microbial and abiotic parameters of testing piles will be closely followed. The final
products are expected to be free of hazardous organic compounds.
Table 2. Chemical analyses
pH, conductivity, temperature,
LOI
oxygen, moisture
Total N, Total P,
NO3, NH4, PO4
K. Ca, Mg
Cd, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Zn, Pb, As,
V
PAHs: naphthalene,
phenanthrene,
pyrene, anthracene,
benzo[a]pyrene
Table 3. Microbiological analyses
microbial cultivation and
enrichment
DNA
qPCR
PCR*
pathogens detection*
Alma lab
Ramboll Analytics
Elan 6000 ICP-MS
Elan 6000 ICP-MS
Shimadzu QP5000
GC/MS
Shaker-Incubator
Commercial extraction
kit
qPCR reagents
Roche Light Cycler
PCR reagents
MJ Research DYAD
PCR/ microarray based
techniques
Rationale for effect analysis of foundry sand samples
Effect-directed analysis (EDA) is based on the understanding that environmental
samples may contain thousands of mostly organic chemicals and that only a fraction of
them can be analyzed by chemical target analysis. Non-target screenings provide
insights into unexpected or unknown contaminants but they do not provide any
prioritization or hazard information. Thus, EDA takes a biological effect as the basis
to narrow down the huge amount of possible analytes and aims to direct chemical
analysis to those compounds that contribute significantly to a measurable effect.
The approach combines ecotoxicological/toxicological testing, physico-chemical
fractionation procedures and chemical analysis in a sequential procedure. The sample
or an extract thereof is tested usually with the in vivo or in vitro test of choice
depending on the objective of the study. If effects are detectable the mixture is
fractionated according to the physico-chemical properties of the components. The
components of active fractions are identified and quantified by chemical analytical
means. Depending on the objective of the study, in a final confirmation step the
29
contribution of the identified candidate compound to the measured effect should be
quantified or estimated in order to exclude that major contributors have been
overlooked.
During the summer 2016 samples will be taken from 1) the test heaps constructed at
Koukkujärvi pilot site in May 2016, and 2) from the laboratory scale compost
experiments described in chapter 6.2. Furthermore, foundry sand compost samples
from Koukkujärvi winter composting experiments (2016-2016) are included in the
EDA process.
Furthermore toxicity of three different foundry sand specimens will be analyzed
during the 2016 using standardized eco-toxicological tests.
From the project perspective EDA as a product is rather labor and cost-intensive for
monitoring purposes. On the other hand it provides important information regarding
the development of toxicity of the foundry sand compost material during the
composting process. Comparison to protective guideline values is a novel approach in
foudry sand issue. EDA approach is also scientifically sound iterative process and will
give information for deeper understanding of the full-scale foundry sand composting
process. Based on the results of these tests we will have information of the possible
toxicity of different raw materials used and tested in the Foundrysand pilot tests. In
case some outcomes of harmful toxicity are found these possible foundry sand
specimens or organic materials will be further discussed and such substances can be
avoided to be used in foundrysand composting process. Regarding labor and costintensity, one week of laboratory time is required at minimum to accomplish all the
extractions and chemical analyses of different fractions.
Project workers
MSc Mari Dahl will work in the project 3 months (PAH analysis, extraction of
compost samples, EDA analysis). Hired by HU
PhD Dan Yu will carry out the tests during for 2 months (compost optimizing
experiments). Hired and working for AX.
Mr. Eero Leppänen will work in the project 1.5 months as a trainee. Hired by HU.
30
The extension and additional tests will not have remarkable impact on total costs of
this action. The costs for hiring assistants for laboratory tests will be re-allocated from
consumable costs of HU to personnel costs. The 2% rule of public body for civil
servants is taken into account and will be changed. Since this action started later, also
cost reporting for this action started later.
Costs:
Personnel costs of Helsinki University.
Prototype: HU has also constructed the small scale laboratory prototypes which are
belong to this action costs.
External assistance costs: Laboratory services bought by HU are costs of this action.
Consumables: Laboratory accessories, glass bottles and bags, laboratory chemicals for
project purposes.
31
5.1.4 B3 Composting in Finland
Implementation time of the action according to the Grant Agreement is 4/201512/2017. There is no delay in this action.
The deadline for the deliverable Report of the results of the field testings in Finland
31/05/2017. Results of summer tests in 2015 are presented in the deliverable attached
as Annex 3.
During the project 17 test heaps will be tested in Finland. First six test heaps were
constructed in summer 2015 and tests were carried out in June-November 2015. Three
winter test heaps were constructed in 8-12th of December 2015 and tests will continue
until May 2016. Summer tests with following six test heaps will start in May 2016.
This action is proceeding as planned.
Six test heaps were constructed at Koukkujärvi pilot site in June 2015 (Fig 6-7). Test
heaps were made in cooperation with project partners, Meehanite Technology Ltd and
Tampere Regional Solid Waste Management Ltd (Pirkanmaan Jätehuolto Oy). AXLVI Consulting Ltd was responsible for the sampling procedure and airborne emission
and waste water effluent measurements. Chemical and biological analyses were
carried out by Eurofins Viljavuuspalvelu Ltd.
The size of the each test heap was about 20 tons. The portions of surplus foundry sand
varied in test heaps between 20-33%. The most commonly used foundry sand types
like furan, phenolic and green sand specimens were used in composting tests. Other
organic materials like wood chips from deciduous trees, horse manure and waste water
sludge were added in the test heaps.
Six test heaps were constructed as follows:
Two test heaps with 20% and 30% of green sand.
Two test heaps of 20% and 30% phenolic sand.
Two test heaps of 20% and 30% furan sand.
32
Figure 6. Foundry sand specimens from Finnish foundries and other organic materials.
Figure 7. Six composting test heaps ready in summer 2015.
The progress of the composting process was controlled by continuously measurable
indicators (temperature and pH). Composting material analyses were made from each
test heap in the beginning, during and in the end of the test period. Also waste water
effluents from the test heaps were gathered to a well and analysed and airborne
emissions measured.
33
Based on all the project results, the modelling of the total impacts to environment will
be made at the end of the project.
The heaps were mixed in Mid-September and the temperatures raised back to about 60
degrees.
Figure 8. Test heaps in the end of the composting test.
Final measurements and sampling procedure of the composting tests and waste waters
were made in the end of October 2015 (Fig 8). Test heaps were composted
approximately 4,5 months. Post-maturing test is ongoing with one of the test heaps for
longer time period.
Test results are presented with details in Deliverable “Composting tests in Finland:
Results of summer tests in 2015”. The deliverable attached as Annex 3. Short
summary of results is attached below.
Results:
Fluoride concentrations were high in green sand and phenolic sand samples gathered
from these two foundries. The fluoride is most probably coming from the fluoride
containing feeders used in the molds used in all sand systems. It is expected that less
foundries use the fluoride containing feeders in the future because of the
environmentally harmful compounds. Substitute materials are available in the market
already. During the tests fluoride concentrations were reduced below the limit values.
It was assumed that fluoride was dissolved into the rest of the material (organic
portion). This will be studied in the balance calculations.
Phenol concentrations exceeded the inert solid waste limit values only by phenol sand
samples. But it has to be considered that phenolic compounds origin also from cores
produced by cold box method.
34
Waste water sludge had high concentrations of DOC, sulphate and phenols before
mixing with other composting materials. However, in the end of the composting tests,
these concentrations were under the limit values demonstrating successful composting
process.
Based on the results of the summer 2015 composting tests, we can assume that the
tests were successfully completed and the innovative composting end-product will
fulfil the limit values set in the Decree of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry on
Fertiliser Products 24/2011 and the end-product can be used as substrate and for
gardening purposes.
Since the waste water sludge included high phenol, DOC and sulphate concentrations
more tests with other organic materials will be made in next pilot tests during winter
time and summer 2016 tests.
Environmental impact assessment of the composting method:
Foundry Sand -project studied the environmental impacts of surplus foundry sand
composting method. The focus was on emissions into the air and waste waters. The
results are presented in the Master of thesis work of Mr Joni Tanskanen from Tampere
University of Technology in 2016. This deliverable is attached as Annex 4.
Air emissions from one compost test heap were measured three times during the
summer and autumn 2015. The compost heap was covered during the measurements
and the gases were conducted through an air chimney on top of the compost heap (see
Fig 9). The concentrations of different gaseous compounds emitted from the heap
were measured with FTIR and FID analysers. Also samples from gas were taken to
adsorption filters, which were sent to a chemical analysis.
Figure 9. Air emission measurements of one test heap.
35
The emission measurements were used to calculate the annual release of pollutants
into the air. Also the specific emission of the treatment for a ton of foundry sand was
calculated. The result was that for every ton of foundry sand composted 63 g/a of
ammonia, 3,8 kg/a of carbon monoxide, 130 kg/a of carbon dioxide, 230 mg/a of
benzene and 220 g/a of methane is released.
Odours were measured from one test heaps parallel the air emission measurements
(see Fig 10).
Figure 10. Odour emission measurement and equipment.
A dispersion model was used to calculate the environmental effects of the pollutants
(Fig 11). Odour was recognized as the most significant pollutant of the treatment.
Odour can be distinct for over 2 % of time at distance of 1 kilometer from the compost
site if com-posting is carried out on a larger scale. For other pollutants the dispersion
calculation results showed no concentrations that were harmful to environment or
people according to the Finnish legislation.
36
Figure 11. Dispersion modelling of the odours in the surrounding of the pilot site were
calculated. Results are presented in percentages (%) of smell hours.
The concentrations in waste waters were examined by conducting the waters from the
test site to a collecting well. Samples were taken from the well three times during the
test period. Comprehensive analyses for the samples were carried out by a chemistry
laboratory to determine all possible detrimental compounds in waste water. No
exceptional concentrations were observed in the samples when kept in mind that the
water was going to a sewage treatment plant.
No harmful environmental effects were discovered or they are really minor. This is in
a case where foundry sand composting is carried out with enough distance to closest
habitation to prevent the inconvenience of odours and the waste waters are treated
properly.
This action is progressing as planned with winter time pilot tests (ending in May 2016)
and planning the summer pilot tests starting in June 2016).
Winter tests in 2015/2016:
Winter tests started in December 2015 with three test heaps (size of 43-51 tons each,
Fig 12-14). The winter heaps were twice the amount compared to the summer test
heaps. The heating and aerating system was built to heat up the test heaps when
needed. Test heaps were mixed on 3rd of May 2016. Composting materials are
analysed according to the environmental permit and project analysis programme. The
37
winter tests will be completed in May or latest in June depending on the analyse
results of the composting material.
Figure 12. Winter test heaps were constructed in November 2015.
Figure 13. Continuous measurement of the test heaps in winter time.
38
Figure 14. Aerating system of the winter test heaps.
Meadow test in summer 2016:
In addition to the composting tests, the pilot treatment trial of meadow compost will
be carried out (Fig 15). This test will be built from farm field moulder (humus) and
surplus foundry sand. The foundry sand is mixed in the top layer (10-20 cm) of
farmland moulder. This is because of the clear indications of high microbe activity of
humus in degrading of all (also hazardous) organic compounds. This piloting will also
be controlled by humus layer and waste waters equally like test heaps.
Figure 15. Meadow test arrangements were constructed in May 2016.
39
High cost items purchased for this action:
Personnel costs are reported in this action by Meehanite and AX.
Travel costs: Meehanite and AX have reported travel costs here.
Prototype costs:
Pilot site preparation work and pilot test arrangements and materials.
Encapsulating area for waste waters, heating and aerating system and pipelines,
irrigation system, electric cables and accessories and electric work, winter covers for
test heaps, wood and timber materials for test construction purposes, materials for
meadow construction work, drainage system construction work for meadow, sand
sampling equipment and transportation boxes, a container for transporting the animal
manures to pilot tests, items for test purposes and preparing the samples for analyses,
etc.). Preparations and construction work at pilot site and pilot test heaps and
maintenance work of test heaps.
Two small scale biofilter pilot plants were bought by Meehanite in total of 95,362 €.
The biofiltration systems will be tested in odour abatement of composting test heaps in
summer 2016 in Finland. The inquiry and one offer are attached in Annex 16.
Consumables:
Measurement cabin construction materials.
Sand samples storage shelters at AX for keeping the reference samples from the
project.
Fume hood for treatment of samples at AX laboratory.
Other costs:
Transportation cost of composting materials.
AX costs:
Equipment costs: Data loggers, monitoring equipment.
40
5.1.5 B4 Composting in Spain
The deadline for the deliverable Report of the results of the field testings in Spain is
31/12/2016. Test results are presented with details in Deliverable “Composting tests in
Spain: Results of summer tests in 2015”. The deliverable attached as Annex 5.
From 2015-2017, in two locations with different climates, Spain and Finland, around
400 tons of foundry sand destined for landfill are to be processed. Mid-term results
show that hazardous organic compounds such as phenols and PAHs can be 97%
neutralized.
In order to evaluate scope, different sand mixes including furan, phenol, silicate and
green sand, are being trialed and monitored in both climates. Various combinations of
foundry waste sand, mixed with agents such as waste water, sludge, horse manure, and
forestry waste, are being analyzed to determine efficiency and practicality. In the case
of Spain, Tecnalia Research & Innovation focused on the best combination to obtain
compost with fertilizing characteristics.
In Spain the tests started in September 2015 following a fact-finding visit to the
Finnish plant in June which had six test heaps in place. Using their set-up as a
reference for like-for-like comparison (but in different climates) Tecnalia initiated
three tests heaps (Fig 16). The initial results for Spain are presented herein.
Figure 16. Monitoring visit at pilot site by Meehanite Tecchnology, inMarch 2016.
41
The location of the test heaps required a site with the appropriate environmental
permit already in place. In our case, Composgune, S.L, was chosen. This site is
located in the centre of the Basque Country, Ormaiztegi, northern Spain, 50 km from
the Cantabrian Sea and 512 meters above sea level (Fig 17).
Figure 17: Climate data for Ormaiztegi
Three test heaps were constructed at the pilot site in September 2015. The heaps were
made in coordination with project partner Meehanite Technology Ltd Ormaiztegi
Compost. Tecnalia was responsible for the sampling procedure and airborne emission
and waste water effluent measurements. Chemical and biological analyses were
carried out by Tecnalia laboratory division.
The size of the heaps was restricted to those stipulated in the permit terms and
conditions obtained by Composgune, S.L. from the Basque authority.
The weight of the each test heap was approx.13 tons and the proportion of surplus
foundry sand to organic material was between 20-33% (Fig 18). Mixes of the most
commonly used foundry sand types like furan, phenolic and green sand specimens
were used in composting tests. The organic materials included wood chips from
deciduous trees, horse manure and waste water sludge. Two of the heaps were
constructed with green sand and the third were constructed using silicate sand.
The composting process was monitored through the continuous measurement of
temperature and pH. Analysis of the composting material in each heap was carried out
at the beginning, in the middle and at the end of the experiment. Waste water seeping
from the heaps (from both natural rainfall and simulated rainfall added to compensate
for the below average rainfall during the trial) was channeled to a deposit for analysis.
This was carried out between phases one and two, and two and three. Airborne
emissions were measured during stage three when these were expected to be at their
42
height. Temperature monitoring was carried out using two thermocouples in each heap
(Fig 19).
Figure 18. Three test heaps were located in the centre of the Basque Country,
Ormaiztegi, northern Spain.
Figure 19. Detailed sensors of the thermocouple placed in test heaps.
43
Results of the composting tests in autumn 2015 to spring 2016 in Spain:
Fluoride concentrations were higher in green sand than in silicate sands - the origin
probably being fluoride seeping from the feeder system during casting. This is higher
in green sand (iron casting) due its to higher absorption capacity. It is expected that
fewer foundries will use the fluoride containing feeders in the future as substitute
feeder systems are coming onto the market. However, fluoride concentrations reduced
to levels below the limit values in both sands by the end of the process. It was
assumed that the fluoride was transformed and dissipated by the organic material. This
will be further studied in the balance calculations.
Water seeping from the heaps had high concentrations of DOC, sulphate and phenols
in the beginning. However, at the end of the composting tests these concentrations
were under the limit values.
In the middle of the tests the phenol content ranged from 76 to 100 µg/Kg m.s, but at
stage 3 this decreased to 4 µg/Kg m.s in heap one and to <1 µg/Kg m.s in heap 2. See
tables 4, 5 and 6. Regarding BTMX compounds, they were found to degrade
completely by the end of the composting process with the exception of Phenanthrene
(between 45 and 72 µg/Kg m.s).
In addition to analyzing the composting material and waste water, the emissions to air
from one of the green sand test heaps were also measured during the three stages. The
aim was evaluate the total environmental impact of the composting experiment.
In order to aerate the heaps and facilitate composting, the heaps were turned-over
approx. every two weeks. We found that carbon dioxide (CO2) was formed due to the
active degradation of microbes during composting (Fig 20). Oxygen consumption
remained stable at over 20% throughout the process. Methane (CH4) emissions in the
beginning are higher than in the middle and disappear in the end of the test period.
These figures are comparable to those of natural composting (not using foundry waste
sand).
44
Figure 20. Carbon dioxide concentrations from one test heap at the beginning
(stage1), in the middle (stage 2) and at the end (stage 3) of the composting test.
Based on the results of the autumn 2015 composting tests, we can conclude that the
experiment was successful as the limit values set out in the Basque Country
Reguations for Forestry on Fertiliser Products 24/2011 were met. The end-product can
be used as substrate and for gardening purposes.
Since the waste water sludge included high phenol, DOC and sulphate concentrations
more tests with other organic materials will be made in next pilot tests.
For evaluating the possibly leaches in waste waters and airborne emissions, AX has
carried these measurements in Finland. Results are evaluated in the environmental
impact assessment (the master of Science Thesis by Joni Tanskanen from AX, Annex
4). No remarkable effluents in waste waters were measured. Tecnalia has also carried
out waste water and emission measurements, but only once during the tests.
Costs:
Personnel costs of Tecnalia are reported in this action. Planning design and monitoring
the activities are Meehanite’s personnel costs.
Travel costs: Travel costs of Tecnalia and Meehanite (chek-up visits).
Prototype costs: Pilot test heaps construction costs.
45
5.1.6 B5 Biological and project outcomes
The deadline for the deliverable Report of the analytical methods and results is
31/03/2017. Results of the tests are reported under each action in Composting tests in
Finland (Action B3) and Composting tests in Spain (Action B4).
AX is responsible for this action.
Biological, chemical and hygiene analysis are important to control the progress and
results of the innovative foundry surplus sand composting method. Analyses and
compounds to be analysed were discussed with project partners and presented for
authorities in the environmental permit application.
Regulations in Finland:
List of analyses to be followed in Finnish composting tests was agreed by the RSAA
authorities in the environmental permit. Same analyses will be made also from pilot
tests in Spain.
Biological and chemical analyses are made from foundry sand specimen, composting
materials, waste waters from test heaps. Also the total environmental impacts will be
measured and evaluated (emissions, odours and waste waters) and reported in the final
report. Composting material analyses are made from each test heap in the beginning,
during and in the end of the test period.
Following parameters and compounds must be measured and monitored during tests.
Authorities must be informed of the results.
1. Progress of the composting process and environmental impacts must be
followed by analyses according to the permit. Before constructing the
composting test heaps, heavy metals (Al, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ni, Zn, Pb ja Hg)
must be analysed from the foundry sand specimen. Same parameters and
compounds must be analysed from the end-product according to this permit.
2. Analyses from each test heap (foundry sand+other organic materials) must
be made in the beginning, middle and end of tests. Following analyses must
be made: fluoride, heavy metals (Al, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ni, Zn, Pb and Hg),
PAH, BTXE, phenols, TOC and DOC. Regular monitoring of the test heaps
temperature must be arranged. pH and humidity must be monitored in the
beginning, middle and end of the tests.
3. Waste waters of the test field must be gathered for analyses from the
collecting well. Analyses must be made in the beginning, middle and end of
the tests for following parameters:
46
-
pH, electrical conductivity, chemical oxygen demand (CODCr),
biochemical oxygen demand (BOD7ATU), total nitrogen, ammonium,
total phosphorus, solid matter and heavy metals (Al, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ni,
Zn, Pb and Hg). Additionally, in the end of each test period
thermotolerant coliformic bacteria must be analysed from the waste
waters.
Limit values according to the Finnish regulations to be followed for waste waters,
foundry sands and composting materials are presented in the Annex 6.
Regulations in Spain:
In order to comply with Basque Country Government instruction 1/2015 for recycled
sand for use as compost or as a construction material (geothermic), the following
figures must be observed.
Ele
men
As
mg
/kg
0,5
Elem
ent
Hg
mg/
kg
0,0
Elem
ent
Se
mg/k
g
0,1
Ba
Mo
1
0,5
Zn
4
Ni
0,4
Cl-
800
Cr
20
0,0
4
0,5
Pb
F-
10
Cu
TO
C
Phe
2
300
00
1
Sb
SO4
1000
PCB
0,5
0,0
6
1
PHA
40
DOC
500
TDS
4000
Cd
noli
Detailed results of the composting tests in Finland and Spain carried out in summerautumn 2015 are presented in action B3 Composting tests in Finland and B4
Composting tests in Spain under “Results”.
This action is progressing as planned.
High cost items purchased for this action:
Personnel costs: AX, Eurofins and Meehanite have reported personnel costs in this
action.
Travel costs: Travel costs for sampling procedure by AX, Meehanite and Eurofins.
Equipment costs: Two more expensive measurement devices were bought by AX
Consulting and the tendering procedure was made for these devices. FTIR Gasmet
DX4000 for emission measurement was purchased for 66,120 € (3 offers were
received, Annex 13) and HFID Analyzer with heated sample pump was purchased for
19188 € (2 offers were received, Annex 14). These are used for emission
47
measurements. Also smaller equipment were bought like water sampler, sample
pumps, micromanometers (under 5,000 €/each)
Consumables by AX: Transportation trailor for measurement devices, heated sample
lines for emission measurement devices (HFID and FTIR), laboratory accessories,
chemicals and gases, sample bottles, probes, thermoelements, sample bottles/bags,
teflon pipes, etc.
48
5.1.7 B6 Conclusions
Implementation time of the action according to the Grant Agreement is 01-03/2018.
The deliverables produced in this action:
1) Practical guide “Surplus foundry sand quality control in foundries (03/2018)
2) Report” Applicability of cleaned foundry sand recycling in Finland, Germany and
Spain (limit values, applicability and market approach)” (10/2017)
3) Practical guide “Constructing recommendations for composters of cleaning the
foundry sand by composting” (6/2017)
This action deals with the demands of the foundries, that is, how to release the surplus
foundry sand in a way that it can be used for composting and with the demands of the
compost manufacturers:




advices will be given to pilot foundries on how to separate the surplus
foundry sand to be composted in the production and the analyses methods
for sand samples to be made and how to run the process in a best way (best
practice);
the economic side conditions will be presented. A calculation example of
how to calculate the price of the product as well as the price for taking the
foundry sand. The example is based on the commercial results at
Pirkanmaan jätehuolto Oy. The impact of transport costs will be included;
the market situation will be analysed in the countries Finland, Germany,
and Spain. This part will give general market figures on compost but will
take especially notice of the price structure, the legislation, the distances
between foundries, compost sites, and consumers.
Carbon footprint calculations will be also made by the external
subcontractor.
This action has not yet started.
Costs: No costs reported yet.
49
5.1.8 C1 Project monitoring
Implementation time of the action according to the Grant Agreement is 08/201403/2018.
Deliverables to be produced in this Action: Annual progress reports of monitoring the
impacts 31/12/2015, 31/12/2016 and 30/09/2017. First monitoring report of
monitoring activities in 2015 is attached as Annex 7.
Project monitoring activities include project overall activities that are discussed and
handled in project meetings. These meetings, dates, agendas and participants are
reported in section 4. Administrative part. Monitoring activities include also progress
monitoring of composting tests and quality control of results. These are presented in
this context.
Progress of the composting tests at Koukkujärvi pilot site in Nokia, Finland, is
followed by Meehanite, AX and Pirkanmaan Jätehuolto. Regular check-up visits and
measurements at site were made 1-3 times / week by Meehanite (Mr Markku Tapola,
Ms Sara Tapola, Mr Mika Myllytie) and AX personnel (Ms Mervi Myyrä, Mr Joni
Tanskanen and Mr Markus Karhula). Tecnalia will follow the test arrangements in
Spain and report the results and progress to the coordinator.
Quality control of results:
Meehanite
AX-LVI
Eurofins
Tecnalia
Markku Tapola, Sara Tapola, Prf. Juhani Orkas
Seppo Heinänen, Mervi Myyrä
Manna Kaartinen, Kalevi Koivunen
Patricia Caballero
Quality monitoring of the project includes project overall progress monitoring and
composting test results monitoring, waste water control monitoring and emission and
odour measurement results monitoring. Eurofins is responsible for analyse procedures.
AX reports the results to the coordinator. Results are discussed in face-to-face meeting
and by emails with partners. In total 6 quality control meetings were arranged in 20152016. In addition weekly discussions with Meehanite/AX are arranged to update the
latest results and progress of the tests.
50
Agenda
Revisions of the analytical concept
Composting test measurements and sampling
procedure
Construction of 6 pilot test heaps and
measurement preparation at Koukkujärvi site
Analyses results of first measurements and
manual for quality control of foundry sand
Draft version of the manual for quality control
of foundry sand
Quality control discussions of pilot tests
Winter test composting preparation
Time
3.3.2015
1.6.2015
Participants
B-B-H: J Helber
Meehanite, AX
18.6.2015
AX, Meehanite, PJH
2.9.2015
18.11.2015
Aalto University, AX,
Meehanite, Helsinki University
Aalto University, Meehanite
1-2/month
8-10.12.2015
AX, Meehanite
Meehanite, AX, PJH
Patricia Caballero reports the results to the coordinator for check-up and comments.
The results of Tecnalia tests will be also handled in the quality control meetings with
other project partners.
Results of the composting tests in Finland and Spain and on laboratory scale tests in
Lahti, Finland are reported in the pilot test reports produced by the partner responsible
after each pilot test period. Results are checked and evaluated in the meetings and
lessons learnt and future activities are planned. In case more tests or analyses are
needed, this will be decided by the coordinator.
This action is progressing as planned and no delays or withdrawn have occurred.
Costs: Personnel costs of Meehanite, AX, Pirkanmaan Jätehuolto, Helsinki University.
Travel costs: Check-up visits at pilot site and quality control of composting method by
Meehanite.
51
5.1.9 D1 Notice boards and the Layman’s report
Deliverables to be produced in this Action: Two notice boards (30/6/2015) and
Layman’s report (31/3/2018).
This action progresses as planned.
This action is presented under section 5.2.2 Dissemination.
Costs: Personnel costs by Meehanite
External assistance costs: Notice boards to pilot sites by Meehanite.
52
5.1.10 D2 Website and social media
Website opened in December 2014. No deliverable in this action.
53
5.1.11. D3 Events
No deliverable for this action. Relevant events are listed in progress reports during the
project.
Objective is to participate in relevant seminars, events, conferences, exhibitions in
2014-2018 (about 5-10 events). One project seminar will be arranged.
54
5.1.12. D4 Publications and the dissemination material
Deliverables to be produced in this Action: A revised project leaflet was produced in
March 2015 after the new partners were decided (03/2015 Annex 8), three technical
publications (31/3/2018, Annexes 10 and 11).
This action is presented in section 5.2 Dissemination
55
5.1.13. E1 Project management and reporting by Meehanite
Deliverables to be produced in this Action: Inception report (30/4/2015), Midterm
report (30/6/2016), Progress report 30/06/2017 and Final report 30/05/2018.
The progress of this action is presented in section 4. Administration part
56
5.1.14. E2 Networking with other LIFE Projects
Indicators: 50 face-to-face meetings or contacts with relevant networking partners to
transfer the concept (30/9/2017).
In February-December 2015 Meehanite has contacted about 20 Finnish foundries and
visited 4 of them for project activities and discussing sand composting possibilities in
this project and in the future. Also Tecnalia has contacted 15 potential foundries as
suppliers of the surplus sand for composting purposes.
Meehanite and AX have participated in national events in 2014 and 2015 for project
networking activities. The events were listed under action D3 Events where the
networking took place.
Relevant LIFE projects have been contacted and networking activities carried out.
Ramboll Finland Oy has some interesting LIFE projects (ongoing or finished) and
networking activities have been planned and one meeting has been arranged:
UPACMIC (LIFE12 ENV/FI/000592) the objective is to demonstrate through its pilot
applications various aspects of constructing the tailings ponds’ bottom and cover
layers as well as the reactive barrier layers with secondary materials with the primary
purposes of preventing contaminants leaching into ground waters. Ideas of the reuse
possibilities of composted foundry sand in cover layers purposes will be discussed and
proposed for mining representatives and project partners by Ms Harri Jyrävä form
Ramboll Finland Oy.
ABSOILS was a LIFE+ project which demonstrated conversion of abandoned and
low-quality soils - such like soft clays - into construction materials. (LIFE09
ENV/FI/000575). The ABSOILS and Foundrysand projects deal with nature
construction materials and re-use possibilities. Experiences will be exchanged
concerning the challenges of European policies and legislation barriers and future reuse potentials in markets.
LIFE FoundryTile (LIFE 14 ENV/ES/000252). The main objective of the FoundryTile
project is to demonstrate the valorization of iron foundry sands and dust in the ceramic
tile production process, contributing to the implementation of Waste Framework
Directive (Directive 2008/98/EC). In the field of waste foundry sands valorization and
introduction of recycled materials in the manufacture of ceramic tiles knowledge and
results will be exchanged. Taking into account the experience of the LIFE
FOUNDRYSAND project and the scope of FoundryTile project emails will be
exchanged and networking activities fostered.
57
Mr Jesus Aranzabal from ECOFOND S.a (Salvatierra – Agurain, Spain) was invited to
present the sand treatment system used in Spain in the project meeting on with
Tecnalia and Meehanite Technology on 1.3.2016 in Bilbao. This company has been
cooperating with Tecnalia in other EU co-funded foundry project. The general
situation of foundry waste management in Spain at present was discussed and
networking and experiences will be exchanged during the project. Also networking
activities and demonstration tests are negotiated with the Finnish BIOFAKTA Oy.
Also other relevant LIFE projects will be searched and networking activities created.
This action will progress as planned.
Costs: Meehanite personnel costs
Travel costs: Meehanite travel costs for networking activities and meetings.
58
5.1.15. E3 After Life Communication Plan
Deliverable: After LIFE Communication plan will be produced latest by 31/03/2018.
The aims of the “Afer LIFE communication plan” are to:
- distribute project results to all relevant target groups and the general public after the
end of the project
This action has not been started yet.
Costs: No costs reported yet.
59
5.1.16. E4 Project auditing
Implementation time of the action according to the Grant Agreement is 03-05/2018.
Deliverable: Independent audit report
This action will be carried out at the end of the project actual duration when all costs
are available (latest 05/2018).
Name of the auditor:
Jaakko Rönkkö
Cerfified public accountant, KHT, JHTT, CIA
Revisium Oy
Finlaysoninkuja 9
33210 Tampere
Puh. 050 355 0140
[email protected]
www.revisium.fi
This cost has not started yet.
60
5.2 Dissemination actions
5.2.1 Objectives
Objectives of dissemination plan set out in the revised project proposal:
1) Notice boards will be produce and placed on pilot site during the test trials (2 pieces).
2) Website will be opened.
3) About 5-10 events will be participated.
4) Roll-up for project partners will be produced by Meehanite (one for each partner) for
disseminating purposes.
5) 1 leaflet will be produced and disseminated to relevant stakeholders European wide.
Also about 1000 paper copies (also as an electronic version).
6) 3-5 technical publications/articles in relevant magazines will be produced.
5.2.2 Dissemination: overview per activity
5.2.2.1 Action D1 Notice boards and Layman’s report
The notice boards describe the project clearly and they were displayed at strategic
places accessible to the public, mainly concerning the pilot sites in Finland and Spain.
The LIFE logo will always appear on them. Meehanite produced notice board in
Finland and it was placed on pilot site in June 2015 when the test trials started.
Tecnalia was responsible for the notice board in Spain during the tests and they have
placed the notice board on site in August 2015.
At the end of the project the Layman’s report will be produced.
Figure 21. Notice board at the pilot site in Finland.
61
Figure 23. Notice board at the pilot site in Spain (is in place all time at site).
5.2.2.2 Action D2 Website and social media
The main project results and activities are informed on the project website (www.lifefoundrysand.com).
For private site the username: visitors and password: valimohiekka2015.
This is only for project partners and the Commission desk officers and the Monitoring
Team member.
The project website will have public and private parts. The public site will be
promoting and informing about the project results. The private part will enable better
information exchange between the partners. It will contain produced memos,
deliverables, relevant news and happenings, etc. Also the members of the monitoring
group will have the access to the private part of the web-site.
5.2.2.3 Action D3 Events
List of relevant happenings or seminars for Foundrysand project dissemination events
in 2014-216:
1. Indoor air seminar in Helsinki on 11 March 2015 arranged by Sisäilmayhdistys ry.
http://www.sisailmayhdistys.fi/sisailmastoseminaaritjasisailmapajat/sisailmastoseminaari-2015. Participated by AX. 1300 participants.
Seppo Heinänen
2. Air pollution prevention -seminar on 19-20 August 2014 in Lappeenranta,
Finland. Participated by AX. Also in 18-19 August 2015 the same annual seminar was
arranged where AX had a stand and Foundrysand project dissemination material
present (Fig 22). About 200 participants. Seppo Heinänen and Mervi Myyrä and
Markku Tapola.
62
3. Life 2014 info seminar and workshop in June 2014 arranged by Ministry of the
Environment in Finland. Presentation of the project by Meehanite. 30 -40 participants.
Markku Tapola.
4. Training of the new European Deposit regulation (331/2013) of the materials to be
placed on landfills after 1 January 2016 arranged on 19 September, 2014. Meehanite
(Ms Sara Tapola) participated in this relevant training. 15 participants. Sara Tapola
5. Markku Tapola presented the project activities and results of first pilot tests at Suomen
Valimoyhdistyksen -koulutuspäivät (the seminar arranged by Finnish Foundry
Technical Association) on 4-5 February 2016 in Tampere. There were Finnish
foundries’ representatives present. Participated by Meehanite. The presentation is
attached as Annex 12. http://www.svy.info/?q=node/132 (Fig 21). 40-50 participants
6. Finnish Food Safety Authority EVIRA. Project activities and results presentation of
Foundrysand composting end-product in 19 January 2016 in Helsinki. Discussions of
composting end-product requirements and limit values in Finland. Seppo Heinänen,
Markku Tapola, Sara Tapola and Mervi Myyrä.
7. Project leaflets distributed to FEAF members (15 potential foundries as suppliers of
sand) by Tecnalia, Spain. September 2015. Patricia Caballero.
8. Presentation of the project to two companies (AMUFER & JEZ) by Tecnalia, Spain.
Patricia Caballero.
9. Presentation of results for BIOFAKTA Oy and discussions of the demonstration
activities with surplus foundry sand during the project. Meeting was arranged on
31.3.2016. Hannu Pöntinen, Markku Tapola and Sara Tapola.
10. CAEF Environment committee meeting was arranged on 19th April 2016 is
Düsseldorf, Germany. Prof. Juhani Orkas is a member of this committee. Health issues
related to crystalline silica (RCS) dust thresholds were discussed and also the re-use
possibilities of foundry sand in different European countries were presented. Prof.
Juhani Orkas participated in this meeting.
11. GIFA Messe (International Foundry Trade fair with Technical Forum) on 1617.6.2015 in Düsseldorf, Germany. A specialised fair for foundry representatives in
Europe. Meehanite had discussions with foundries of sand treatment methods and
limit values in German foundries. Discussions also with European foundry
associations (IfG and CAEF) and Tecnalia representatives from Spain were arranged.
Project meeting with Prof. Juhani Orkas and Dr. Joachim Helber from B-B-H
Beratungsbüro in Düsseldorf was arranged during the fair. Mr Markku Tapola and Ms
Sara Tapola participated in this fair. Over 48,000 visitors were at GIFA.
63
Figure 24. Markku Tapola gave a presentation at Finnish Foundry Technical
Association seminar on 5.2.2016 in Tampere.
Figure 25. Air Pollution Prevention seminar in 18-19.8.2015
in Lappeenranta.
Seminar presentations are available on website (life-foundrysand.com).
The project ask permission to present the results of laboratory experiments in a 7th
SETAC World Congress which will be held in Orlando, FL, USA, from 6-10
November 2016. Society for Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) is a
not-for-profit, global professional organization comprised of some 6,000 individual
members and institutions from academia, business and government. Since 1979, the
Society has provided a forum where scientists, managers and other professionals
exchange information and ideas on the study, analysis and solution of environmental
problems, the management and regulation of natural resources, research and
development, and environmental education. More information of SETAC can be found
from their internet pages https://www.setac.org/ and the link for the Orlando congress
is also available: https://orlando.setac.org/.
There are three major reasons to participate this meeting. First this is the most
important forum for presentation of environmental remediation related issues in terms
64
of both scientific and practical value. Second over 2500 experts will participate this
conference thus providing excellent opportunity for scientific communication and
networking. Thirdly from personal motivation perspective program of the conference
offers excellent opportunity for professional development during a 5-day event
featuring a variety of training, and learning opportunities. There are also practical
reasons regarding the timing of the project. For institutional reasons (Big Wheel by
University of Helsinki) autumn 2016 is a perfect time to participate scientific
conference that is included in the original plan according to Grant agreement. SETAC
World Congress only occurs once every four years and attracts more than 2,500
scientists, assessors, and other stakeholders of environmental protection. We still have
time to submit abstract to one of the nine Remediation/Restoration sessions. To our
knowledge similar type of congress will not be organized in EU countries during
2016-2017.
Personally I have been member of SETAC since 1997. Annual self-paid membership
fee of 120 € is taken into account in the registration rate of the congress US$520/
US$736 (early bird rates). Thus relatively low (470 €) registration rate compensates
moderate price of airline tickets (ca. 500-680 €, for example Icelandair 648 €). Total
budget of the conference including accommodation (6x100 €), daily allowance (7x65
€). transportation (750 €), and registration fee (470 €) are in the range of 2,275 € at
minimum.
5.2.2.4 Action D4 Publications and the dissemination material
Project second and revised leaflet was produced in March 2015 (Annex 8) after the
access of two new partners by April 2015.
Roll-up and posters were also revised and produced in May 2015 (Annex 9 and Annex
9.2).
By the Midterm reporting in summer 2016, in total two articles of LIFE-Foundrysand
project has been produced by AX and Meehanite Technology in the AX Magazine in
2014 and 2015. Both are attached as Annex 10.
LIFE logo (flag) was used in reports, presentations, publications and in all
deliverables. In addition the sentence “Supported by EU Commission LIFE
Environment Programme 2013” was used.
More articles will be produced when all the results are available in 2017-2018 in
cooperation with all partners.
65
Updated list of deliverables produced by 04/2016
66
5.3 Evaluation of Project implementation
Evaluation of the project implementation actions is presented in Table 4.
Task
Action A1. Preparation
of compost sites in
Finland and Spain
Action B1. Surplus
sand quality control
and sand samples
process in foundries
Foreseen in the revised proposal
Construction and preparation
work of the pilot site by the end
of May 2015.
Achieved
Yes,
completed.
Evaluation
Because of the partnership changes
of a new pilot site was searched in
March-April 2015 and a new
environmental permit was made in
May 2015 for the new site. The new
partner, Pirkanmaan Jätehuolto Ltd,
provided a new site at waste
treatment center in Koukkujärvi,
Nokia. The change caused less than
one month delay with the
preparation work at site. Pilot tests in
Action B3 were started 3 weeks later
than planned.
Environmental permit for
project pilot tests to be applied
from national authorities.
Yes,
completed.
The guidelines of quality
control and treatment of surplus
foundry sand in foundries.
Yes. The
manual will
be updated
during the
project.
The environmental permit was
received on 18th June 2015 from the
Regional State Administrative
Agency.
In Spain no additional permission
was needed. The pilot site had the
permission from the local authority
(Composgune) existing already.
This action was completed
successfully and pilot tests were
started in Finland 3 weeks later than
planned.
A guideline for the Finnish foundries
was developed to assist them in
setting quality control system criteria
to control the quality of surplus
foundry sand suitable for composting
purposes. A master of thesis was
made of this work by Aalto
University. The work will be
updated during the project based on
the more test result gained from
composting pilot tests.
This action was completed
successfully and the final results are
updated under the Action B6 in
Practical guide "Surplus foundry
sand quality control in foundries".
Action B2. Compost
processing on
laboratory scale
Small scale experiments on
laboratory scale have was
carried out to investigate the
Yes.
Additional
tests will be
The results of this action are visible
right after the project.
Outdoor field tests were carried out
at the Jokimaa field station in Lahti
for soil and sediment studies.
67
Action B3 Composting
tests in Finland
Action B4. Composting
tests in Spain
driving
parameters for the process under
controlled conditions, not only
to receive repeatable results but
also to
define the optimal process
conditions for field tests.
made in
2016.
Also small size laboratory tests were
carried out.
Chemical and biological analyses
were made during the tests.
A master of thesis was produced of
the tests by Helsinki University.
Additional tests will be made in
2016 because the results were not
satisfying and composting tests were
not completed successfully. The size
and aeration of the small size
containers will be studied more
carefully. Additionally toxicity tests
will be carried out.
Results are visible during the project.
In total 17 small scale pilot tests
Action is
progressing
as planned.
6 small scale composting pilot test
heaps were tested in summer 2015.
Winter tests 2015-2016 (large scale
3 test heaps) are ongoing until June
2016. Summer tests 2016 (6 test
heaps) will start in June. Meadow
test will be constructed in May 2016
at Koukkujärvi.
Hazardous organic compounds
of surplus foundry sand will be
cleaned by about 95%.
Achieved and
continues.
Based on the results we can assume
that the tests were carried out
successfully and the innovative
composting end-product will fulfil
the limit values set in the Decree of
the Ministry of Agriculture and
Forestry on Fertiliser Products
24/2011 and the end-product can be
used as substrate and for gardening
purposes.
In total about 150-200 tons of
surplus foundry sand will be
treated and cleaned by
composting method.
Continues in
2015-2017.
In 2015 about 40 tons of surplus
foundry sand was cleaned by
composting method in Finland.
During piloting studies all
relevant environmental impacts
will be investigated.
Yes.
Achieved.
The environmental impacts have
been measured and evaluated. Also
the dispersion modelling of the
impacts has been produced based on
the pilot tests in 2015.
A master of thesis of this work has
been produced by Tampere
University of technology.
In total 12 small scale pilot tests
Action is
progressing
as planned.
First 3 pilot test tests were started in
August in 2015 and completed in
March 2016.
In total 15 tons of surplus foundry
68
sand was treated and cleaned by
composting method.
Based on the results the tests were
completed effectively and organic
hazardous emissions like phenols
were reduced by 97 %.
Action B5. Biological
and chemical
composting
Biological, physical and
chemical parameters will be
sampled and analysed from the
pilot tests in Finland and Spain.
Action is
progressing
as planned.
Because of the withdrawn of one
partner, Biopap Ltd, a new
laboratory analyses partner was
needed. Eurofins Viljavuuspalvelu
Ltd will provide all biological and
chemical analyses in the project. The
cooperation has been successful and
this action continues as planned.
Sampling procedure and analyses
were agreed in the environmental
permit with the local authorities.
Results of the pilot tests in Finland
and Spain will be reported under
Actions B3 and B4.
Deliverable “Report on the
analytical methods and results”
will be produced by the end of
the project.
Action B6.Conclusions
and project outcomes
1) Report "Applicability of
cleaned foundry sand
recycling in Finland, Germany
and Spain (limit values,
applicability and market
approach)".
Sampling procedure and list of
analyses will be produced in the final
report and visible after the project.
Not yet
started.
2) Practical guide "Construction
recommendations for
composters of cleaning the
foundry sand by composting".
3) Practical guide "Surplus
foundry sand quality
control in foundries"
1) A survey of the composting
method feasibility, limit values and
markets will be produced.
Replicability and transferability of
the composting method implemented
across Europe will be visible in 2-5
years after the project.
2) Construction recommendations
will be provided by Meehanite at the
end of the project.
Yes. The
manual will
be updated
during the
project.
3) Master of thesis of the surplus
foundry sand quality control in
foundries is produced by Aalto
University. The manual will be
updated during the project when all
results are available and the practical
guidelines are discussed with
relevant authorities and foundry
representatives.
Results of the implementation of the
manual in the foundries will be
69
Action C1 Project
monitoring
Three Progress reports of
monitoring the impacts (20152018)
Action is
progressing
as planned.
Action D1 Notice
boards and Layman’s
report
Action D2 Website and
social media
2 notice boards will be produced
Action
completed
Project website
life-foundrysand.com
Will be
updated
regularly
Action D3 Events
5-10 events will be participated
by the project consortium
Action D4 Publications
and the dissemination
materials
Action E1 Project
management and
reporting by Meehanite
3 technical publications
Action is
progressing
as planned
Action is
progressing
as planned
Action is
progressing
as planned
Action E2 Networking
with other LIFE
projects
10 contacts in other LIFE
projects
Action is
progressing
as planned
After LIFE
Communication plan
Action E4 Project
auditing
After LIFE Communication
Plan will be produced
Project auditing will be made at
the end of the project
Action not
started yet
Action not
started yet
Partnership agreements will be
made.
4 progress reports will be
delivered to the Commission.
Project meeting memos will be
produced
visible in 2-5 years after the project.
Project results and outcomes in 2015
have been evaluated and reported in
the first report.
2 project notice boards have been
placed on pilot sites (Finland and
Spain)
Project websites were opened in
January 2015.
Relevant information will be placed
on site and they will be updated by
the coordinator.
In 2015 and until March 2016 in
total 11 events were participated by
partners.
2 publications are produced by (2014
and 2015)
Revised partnership agreements have
been produced and delivered to the
Commission on 23rd November
2015.
Inception report was delivered in
April 2015.
Memos are mailed to partners and
placed on website (private site)
3 relevant LIFE projects have been
found and contacted. Cooperation
possibilities are planned in 20162017
Not yet started
The auditor has been selected.
Effectiveness of the dissemination and comment on any major drawbacks:
Project activities have been disseminated in two articles in AX magazine in 2014 and 2015.
Markku Tapola presented the project activities and results of first pilot tests at Suomen
Valimoyhdistyksen -koulutuspäivät (the seminar arranged by Finnish Foundry Technical
Association) on 4-5 February 2016 in Tampere. Three master of thesis work are produced in
2015:
1) Compost processing on laboratory scale by Helsinki University (Ms Johanna Pollari)
2) Surplus foundry sand and its assessment in applicability in composting by Aalto
University (Mr Devendra Maharjan) (Annex 1) and
3) Valimohiekan kompostointikäsittelyn ympäristövaikutukset (Environmental impacts’
assessment of composting method”) by Tampere University of Technology (Mr Joni
Tanskanen) (Annex 4).
Project results will be widely disseminated when all results are available from composting
tests in Finland and Spain. Meetings with responsible authorities are arranged during the
70
project and excursions to site will be organised. Project partners will actively disseminate the
results in different happenings. Juhani Orkas the Professor of Foundry Technology at Aalto
University is actively in contact with Finnish foundries and relevant meetings will be
participated during the project. Prof Orkas is also the member of Environment Group of
CAEF. These contacts for dissemination purposes will be utilised and relevant stakeholders
are contacted. Spanish foundry association, Tecnalia, has wide contacts with Spanish
foundries and with relevant EU projects for networking activities.
No major drawbacks with dissemination activities have occurred. Dissemination activities are
focused on the latter part of the project when all the results are available and discussions with
authorities are arranged concerning the foundry sand quality control manual in foundries.
5.4 Analysis of long-term benefits
1.
Environmental benefits
a. Direct / quantitative environmental benefits









The highlights of the project are:
The expected result of the LIFE-Foundrysand project is to keep contaminated
foundry waste sands away from the landfills;
Through piloting in 2014-2017 around 150-200 tons of surplus foundry sand will
be cleaned by the innovative composting method;
In total of 17 test trials will be carried out at waste treatment centre, Koukkujärvi
in Finland with different foundry sand types (furan/phenol/green sand);
In total of 12 test trials will be carried out at Tecnalia’s pilot site in Spain with
different sand foundry sand types;
Additionally small scale composting test trials will be carried out on laboratory
scale by Helsinki University;
The hazardous organic compounds (like phenol index, PAHs) are cleaned with the
efficiency of more than 95%. The final composted product has to meet the national
requirements;
CO2 equivalent emissions are reduced with more than 80%;
The increase of re-use of industrial waste material by in other applications instead
of dumping in landfills.
The new end-product is ready to be used in geo-engineering applications when the
national requirements are met.
b. Relevance for environmentally significant issues or policy areas
The targets of the project address and support the following EU Targets
(Mainstreaming sustainable development into EU policies: 2009 review of the
European Union Strategy for Sustainable Development; Brussels, 24.07.2009):
 Climate change (and clean energy);
 Sustainable (consumption and) production and waste prevention;
 Conservation and management of natural resources.
71
Within the goal "climate change impact" it shall be found out if the new process
will be advantageous with respect to methane, CO, and CO2 production by
microbiological degradation.
The project activities support the EU Waste Frame Directive (2008/98/EC) in
increasing the reuse of the industrial waste in other applications and increasing the
recycling of waste instead of landfilling. Project aim is to reduce the amount of
surplus foundry sand to be landfilled and to find cost-effective innovate method to
reuse the industrial waste in geo-engineering applications. The cleaned foundrysand
be used for construction purposes e.g. in green field construction work, noice
embankments, football fields, etc.).
The European Commission adopted an ambitious Circular Economy Package in the
beginning of 2016, which includes revised legislative proposals on waste to
stimulate Europe's transition towards a circular economy which will boost global
competitiveness, foster sustainable economic growth and generate new jobs. The
revised legislative proposals on waste set clear targets for reduction of waste and
establish an ambitious and credible long-term path for waste management and
recycling. LIFE-Foundrysand project objectives are in line with the concrete
measures to promote re-use and stimulate industrial symbiosis - turning one
industry's by-product into another industry's raw material.
2.
Long-term benefits and sustainability
a. Long-term / qualitative environmental benefits:
The highlights of the project are:
 The new innovative composting method will be developed to clean surplus
foundry sand. The method will be ready to use after the end of the project and
utilised in silica sand foundries in Finland, Germany and Spain;
 To keep contaminated foundry waste sands away from the landfills;
 To save valuable landfill space for residues which have not the capability of
being re-used – especially not in such a highly valuable way;
 To re-use industrial waste and produce new end-products suitable in other
applications (e.g geo-engineering construction, road construction, green field
construction purposes);
 To produce new spin-off products for composting companies or waste
treatment centres for markets (new composting materials, bio-moulder products
and moulder recipes including cleaned sand);
 To create a relief in environmental burdens by re-use of the contaminated
surplus foundry sands in combination with other organic waste material;
 To establish and improve acceptance of this generally valuable cleaned and
recycled material for geo-engineering (e.g. road construction) applications -The
foundry waste sands can in some cases be quite little contaminated compared to
other much riskier and hazardous waste but the amounts of tons of foundry
waste sand are very high (around 18 M tons in Europe each year) and thus these
waste will be more and more problematic for the landfills with limited capacity.
72




To improve the acceptance for foundries in general when they are seen more
environmentally friendly by reusing their waste into new end-products by ecofriendly biological method.
To calculate the feasibility and effectiveness of the new method for Finland,
Germany and Spain as pilot countries;
To produce the manual for surplus foundry sand quality control in foundries.
The manual can be adopted in about 200 silica sand foundries in Europe and
that way to reduce dramatically the amount of surplus sand to be landfilled and
To save money for European foundry industries by opening a further route of
re-use of foundry waste sand in other purposes and avoiding costly deposition
in landfills.
b. Long-term / qualitative economic benefits:
In most countries several smaller landfills are being closed and replaced by
large so called “EU landfills”, so the distances and transport costs to the
landfills are also increasing for the foundry companies and alternative ways of
treating those wastes in a more environmental friendly way have to be found.
Aim is to reduce the transportation need of waste foundry sand to the
centralized landfills that can locate far from the foundries.
In the future surplus foundry sands suitable for composting purposes could be
transported to local composters or waste treatment centres for composting or
several foundries together could compost the sands themselves in suitable
areas. The re-used and composted foundry sand could be a new spin-off
product for foundries and a new end-product for composters and waste
treatment companies. Based on the first results from pilot tests in Finland the
new end-product meets the requirements of “mixture soil material” (Fertiliser
Products (24/2011) and it applicable for geo-engineering, green field
construction and road construction purposes in Finland. So, instead of paying
the high landfill fee costs, the foundries themselves could sell out the new
product for geo-engineering purposes and get incomes in the future or they can
transport the surplus sand to composter companies with lower costs for
treatment.
c. Long-term / qualitative social benefits:
Socio economic assessment of the project dealing with future visions of the
sustainable composting system that can be transferred to areas (sand deponies)
where over 200 foundries operate to clean surplus foundry sand for re-use
purposes will be made. There are about 4000 foundries in Europe - estimated
200 of them could apply this new method by 2020 and around 1000 by 2025.
The impacts of "centralised" foundry sand composting system will be assessed
through out transportation, logistical, employment and economical points of
view. Economic impacts to foundries of introducing the new composting
method compared to existing system will be assessed. Also the impacts on
local employment growth, end-product utilisation by different end-users will
73
be assessed. This will be made by Meehanite and external subcontractor (Prof
Joachim Helber) evaluating the situation in Germany and Spain. The
assessment will be made in the end of the project.
d. Continuation of the project actions by the beneficiary or by other stakeholders.








3.
Foundrysand project website will be available at least until 2023.
Deliverables will be available for public audience. “Guidelines and
recommendations” for composting method construction purposes can
be uploaded form the website. The coordinator is responsible for
maintaining the website.
The recommendations for composting method use and construction
work developed during the Foundrysand project can be implemented in
Finland and in other EU countries. Dissemination activities via national
foundry associations in Finland, Germany and Spain which we will
contact directly.
The surplus sand quality control and sand samples process in foundries
can be implemented in foundries representing the same sand specimen
as tested in the project (furan, green sand and phenolic sand) in Finland
and in other countries.
Feasibility study and the market approach will be implemented in
Finland and in other European countries. Based on the tentative studies
there are different laws and regulations set for reuse of foundrysand in
other applications in each country that have to be studied. Barriers of
surplus foundry sand reusing potentials are commonly related to very
strict limit values for harmful substances in each country and
differences inside the countries. In this project we aim to provide more
accurate information and results of the composting method to
authorities to make the environmental permit procedure more easier
and more coherent between countries. In this project we also clarify the
situation of current patents in the market.
Project partners like Pirkanmaan Jätehuolto will continue with the
composting method after the project. The environmental permit is
needed at the moment but future vision is that an announcement
procedure will be implemented in Europe.
Pilot foundries involved in this project are provided with detailed
instructions of the quality control system based on the project results.
Meehanite will continue with the dissemination activities and knowhow distribution work of the composting method.
Results will be actively disseminated in relevant events and seminars
by project partners in the future.
Replicability, demonstration, transferability, cooperation:
Some 100,000 tonnes of surplus foundry sand is annually produced from Finnish
casting processes. In Spain the annual waste sand amount is ten times higher, 1
74
Mil. tonnes/y. In Europe, in total estimated of 18 M tons of foundry sand is
produced annually. So the market potential is high. This sustainable composting
system or service can be transferred to the areas where several foundries operate in
the same region to clean the surplus foundry sand for reuse purposes. There are
about 4000 foundries in Europe - estimated 200 of them could apply this new
method by 2020 and around 1000 by 2025. These foundries represent the silica
sand foundries that could apply the composting method in cleaning the surplus
foundrysand. The barriers for the replicability and transferability of the composting
method are related to the national laws and regulations and strict limit values set
for harmful organic compounds existing in surplus foundrysand. In Finland the
Government Degree of 331/2013 sets regulations and limit values for waste
foundrysand reuse possibilities. The regulations and limit values vary in each
country. Our aim is to provide authorities relevant information and results of the
cleaned foundrysand to enable the reuse possibilities.
This composting method can be taken into use by composters, waste treatment
centres who already have the environmental permits existing and who could
receive and treat surplus foundry sand in their production. The use of foundry sand
in composting purposes requires nowadays always an environmental permit in
Finland. Situation is other countries will be studied in this project by Meehanite.
Discussions with Finnish authorities (ELY-keskus, Aluehallintovirasto RSAA)
have are arranged to give more information of the innovative treatment method and
results and to make the environmental permit procedure more easier and shorter for
new appliers.
The composting method can also be used for cleaning other types of phenolic and
furan sand specimens that are not all tested in this project. Such sand types could
be olivine and zirkone sand specimens. This is not the question of sand types alone
but especially the residuals coming from the mould bonding system. Also
contaminated soil materials could be cleaned by this method. Materials containing
heavy metals cannot be composted because heavy metals are not degradable.
Both foundries and composters/waste treatment centres can have high economic
benefits from this arrangement. The foundries do not have to pay high deposit fees
and the composters get the sand they need to add in composting material cheaper or
for free instead of buying costly virgin gravel. The aim is to sell this method for
composter and waste treatment centers in the future. A novelty search of different
organic raw materials and different surplus foundry sand types was carried out in
this project to find out that there are no patents existing for different composting
raw materials tested in this project.
The composting method can be also used for cleaning the contaminated soils and
humus materials.
Restrictions for the transferability of this method are related to the current
environmental laws and existing environmental permissions that do not allow the
reuse of foundrysand without an environmental permission (Finland).
75
4.
Best Practice lessons:
Based on the first results from pilot tests in Finland the new end-product meets the
requirements of “mixture soil material” (Fertiliser Products (24/2011) and the
objectives set in the project proposal and the new end-product is applicable for geoengineering purposes in Finland. The composting method seems to be efficient
enough in reducing the hazardous organic substances from surplus foundry sand
specimen. Results have been presented to relevant authorities and regulatory bodies
in project meetings on 9.9.2015 and 25.11.2015. At the moment when the MARA
degree revision is ongoing and decisions will be made by the end of 2017 for
increasing the industrial waste reuse possibilities our aim is to provide all
information and results from Foundrysand project for the use of the UUMA project
Committee where Pof Juhani Orkas is also present. By presenting the good results
to relevant environmental authorities out aim is to convince that this method is
feasible and safe. Foundrysand project aims to provide all analyses results to
authorities when they evaluate the environmental impacts. By this way our aim is
to make the environmental procedure more easier for composter companies and
waste treatment companies to start to implement this composting method. The
meetings arranged in 2015 were a good plate form for authorities, foundry
representatives and waste treatment companies to discuss this subject and future
challenges. An excursion to authorities will be arranged in August 2016 for
authorities and relevant stakeholders.
5.
Innovation and demonstration value:
The state of the art with respect to the primary quality of the foundry residues in
question is a wide variety in quality. This variety is not only characterized by
(widely different) concentrations of hazardous chemicals but also by the habit of
mixing together different types of sands or even materials which should be kept
separate from the surplus sand (like refractories, filter dusts, shot-blasting grains
etc.).
These different qualities have primarily been investigated during the last three
decades by different investigators like [Bradke (1993); Lemkow & Crepaz (1994);
Orkas (2001)] and have been proven by thousands of waste declaration analyses.
The idea of composting was promoted mainly in the Nordic countries of Europe
and the United States. The most prominent and complete example may be the
CASKAD project – co-financed by EU funding (2005). These developments have
slowly accessed markets but are not at all yet common or tested properly.
These activities aimed at the clarification of the question how this class of materials
can be deposited safely. Most of the foundry waste sand cannot be directly re-used
without cleaning. Also the material which this Foundrysand project is dealing with
in the testing phase has a quality (in terms of the level of contamination) which
would be rejected by the mentioned regulations and limitations and thus needs
to be cleaned properly to be re-used applying this innovative composting method.
76
Based on the first results carried out in 2015 the requirements and limit values can
be reached and the new end-product is suitable for geo-engineering applications.
More tests will be carried out with different organic materials and sand specimen.
Negotiations and discussions with foundries and relevant authorities like RSAA,
Centre for Economic Development and Transport and Environment and the
environmental authority in Nokia municipality were arranged in 2015 to introduce
this innovative method and end-product for potential end-users construction
companies, municipalities, farmers, etc).
The new tools, quality control manual for foundries and sample procedure will be
created in this project in order to make this innovative composting method easier to
take into use by the local composters, waste treatment companies or foundries
themselves. Negotiations of these requirements and tools and sampling procedures
are arranged with relevant authorities during this project.
6.
Long term indicators of the project success:







Number of composters/waste treatment companies applying the innovative
composting method in cleaning the surplus foundry sand by composting
method
Number of foundries applying the innovative composting method in
cleaning the surplus foundry sand by composting method
Amount of surplus foundry sand treated by composting method (tons)
Amount of new end-users for the new end-products (geo-engineering, road
construction, green area construction, etc applications)
Amount of foundries applied for the “surplus sand quality control and sand
samples process in foundries” system
Amount of environmental permits or other announcement procedure to
relevant authorities for taking into use the innovative composting method
Reductions in landfill use for dumping the surplus foundry sands (tons)
77
6. Comments on the financial report
6.1.Summary of Costs Incurred
In the midterm report eligible costs are reported for 1,492,118 €. The total eligible
project budget is 1,992,144 €. 75 % of total eligible costs are reported.
In the following table concerning the incurred project costs comments are presented
below on each of the cost categories focussing particularly on discrepancies compared
to the allowed flexibility of 30,000€ and 10% (cf. Article 15.2 of the Common
Provisions). In the midterm report no remarkable deviations have occurred in
any of cost categories.
PROJECT COSTS INCURRED
Cost category
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Personnel
Travel
External assistance
Durables: total nondepreciated cost
- Infrastructure subtot.
- Equipment sub-tot.
- Prototypes sub-tot.
Consumables
Other costs
Overheads
TOTAL
Budget according to the Costs incurred within
grant agreement*
the project duration
%
1,195,830
71,488
183,000
943,010
38,578
56,899
79
54
31
59,500
175,000
142,429
34,571
130,323
1,992,144
52,407
155,041
130,518
18,050
97,615
1,492,118
88
89
92
53
75
75
78

Midterm Report - Foundry sand project

Transcription

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