From Non-Recyclable Waste to Energy and Material Resources

Not all waste streams are suitable for reuse or material recycling. Mixed plastics, textile waste, sewage sludge and other carbon-containing waste streams often require a different approach to treatment.

LOOPER is designed for the thermochemical conversion of selected non-recyclable waste streams into products that can be further valorised for energy or material applications.

One Process, Two Products

The LOOPER process produces two main products: hydrogen-rich syngas and a solid residue.

Depending on the system configuration, syngas can be used to produce heat or electricity, or further processed for hydrogen recovery.

The solid residue is characterised separately to assess opportunities for its safe and technically viable further use. Its composition and potential applications depend on the waste stream processed and the process conditions.

Material Valorisation of Solid Residue

The potential for further use of the solid residue is being investigated through the AshCycle project, where its application in construction materials, including bricks, geopolymers and concrete, is being tested.

The aim of this approach is to determine whether material remaining after thermochemical conversion can become a secondary raw material for new products instead of being disposed of.

More Value from the Same Waste

Combining energy and material valorisation offers a different perspective on waste streams that cannot be recycled using conventional methods.

Rather than viewing them solely as material for disposal, their remaining energy and material potential can be utilised through appropriate technological processes.

For LOOPER, this means developing a system that uses selected waste streams to create a basis for energy or hydrogen production while also opening opportunities for the further valorisation of solid residue.