Research: CONCRETE-Digest, The Paper Series

Research summary

• Project timescale: Feb – Sept, 2022

The pulp and paper industry is an important sector within the UK, generating £12 billion in turnover and employing 60,000 people, however, it is also one of the most energy intensive.  

Through more £55,000, EPSRC’s Transforming Foundation Industry Network+ funded the CONCRETE-Digest project with a focus on paper sludge valorisation for resource efficiency, in which Dr Silvia Tedesco (Principal investigator) at Manchester Metropolitan University, Dr Ash Ahmed (co-investigator) at Leeds Beckett University and SAICA Paper UK are exploring opportunities for turning by-products from the pulp and paper industry into valuable new resources, achieving a circular economy.

To achieve this, researchers in Manchester Metropolitan University’s Faculty of Science and Engineering are exploring two processes for industrial symbiosis:

• The conversion of paper sludge waste, which is currently incinerated, into renewable biogas via anaerobic digestion. The biogas generated will power key processes in the pulp and paper industry.
• The use of anaerobic digestate by-products as a water substitute in water-intensive concrete production within the construction industry.

Manchester Metropolitan University is the lead partner on this research project and is working closely with the industry representing the sector, SAICA Paper UK Ltd.

Research output

• Development of a proven process for turning paper sludge waste into biogas via anaerobic digestion
• Guidelines for the paper pulp industry on circular economy opportunities
• A golden recipe for the use of unwanted digestate as water replacement for structural (or other) class concrete applications.