Over 6,000 m² of roads at the AOC Italia plant in Filago were renovated using a high-tech and sustainable asphalt system, containing graphene and recovered difficult-to-recycle hard plastics waste such as old toys, old CD cases and fruit boxes.
Through using this technology, about 2.5 ktons of old asphalt, 227 tons of bitumen (-93%), 3,821 tons of aggregates, 270 truck journeys used to transport materials, over 647,000 kWh of energy (equal to the monthly needs of 2,880 families) and 175,000 kg of CO2 eq (-61%) were saved. In addition, 4,400 kg of recycled hard plastics were recovered and two-thirds of the aggregates used for repaving have been recycled.
Novel technology
A green, innovative and sustainable asphalt made with specially selected recycled hard plastics (such as some types of toys, old CD cases and fruit boxes) and graphene was used for the renovation of the internal transit area of the AOC Italia in Filago (BG). Iterchimica, AOC Italia, and Vezzola Spa joined forces in their commitment to sustainability, exploiting novel technologies for the construction of the new road surface.
AOC Italia used a special asphalt enriched by Gipave and Superplast technologies. Gipave is a technology patented by Iterchimica based on graphene and hard plastics which is derived from an innovative technology resulting from a six-year research project, conducted by Iterchimica (BG) specialized in sustainable solutions for the road sector, with G.Eco of the A2A Group, the University of Milano-Bicocca and Directa Plus, a graphene manufacturer.
Green recognition
Gipave has been certified as PSV (Plastic Second Life) technology and Iterchimica has recently finalized an EPD (Environmental Product Declaration) for the system. Superplast is a technology that modifies, enhances and improves the performance of asphalt pavements.
The use of Gipave guarantees greater performance in terms of strength and durability, increasing the useful life of the road surface compared to the incumbent technologies currently used on the market, and greatly reduces environmental impact thanks to a reduced maintenance requirement.
With regard to the circular economy, the technologies allow reducing the consumption of energy and non-renewable raw materials, while reusable and fully recyclable products and materials are deployed.
"We are very happy to realize together with AOC the new green renovation of the internal roads at the Filago production plant, demonstrating the attention to sustainability and the intention of the companies to apply the principles of the circular economy", said Federica Giannattasio, CEO of Iterchimica. “I would like to thank AOC Italia for adopting Gipave, a patented technology already used for the renovation of the A4 Turin-Milan motorway and for the road surface of the San Giorgio bridge in Genoa".
Great collaboration
AOC has a strong focus on sustainable product development, including low-VOC formulations, lightweight carbon fiber-based composite solutions, formulations incorporating bio-ingredients, and formulations based on post-consumer plastic waste. Filago is home to one of AOC's largest production sites, as well as a major research and development center.
Up to 50 heavy vehicles pass through the AOC Filago site every day for the delivery of raw materials necessary for production, and for loading finished products shipped to customers all over the world.
"In line with our desire to improve the eco footprint of our company, we are taking multiple actions for reducing energy consumption and emissions from our production activities”, - explains Umberto Colpani, manager of the AOC plant in Filago. “We are very happy that through the collaboration with Iterchimica we can renew the asphalt of our plant with minimal environmental impact".
Vezzola Spa took care of the removal of the previous asphalt and the reconstruction of the wear and binder layers for a total thickness of 10 cm (4 cm of wear with Gipave and 6 cm of binder with Superplast). The company supplied the aggregates of natural and regenerated origin used for asphalt, looking for the best type of material, suitable for pavements subjected to heavy wear, and took care of the laying of 1,450 tons of bituminous conglomerate. Its subsidiary Antonutti Srl followed the laying and milling phases of the asphalt, which uses two-thirds of regenerated aggregates, in compliance with the tight time schedule and the high safety requirements imposed by the Filago plant.
For a full fact sheet on the project please click here.
About AOC
AOC is the leading global supplier of specialty formulations and solutions that enable customers to create robust, durable and versatile products and components for applications in protective coatings and barriers, dyes and visual effects, adhesives and specialty and composite formulations. With strong capabilities around the world in manufacturing and science, the company works closely with customers to deliver unrivalled quality, service and reliability for today and create innovative solutions for the future.
Press contact:
Thomas Wegman (thomas.wegman@aocresins.com)
About Iterchimica
Iterchimica S.p.A. is a Bergamo-based company manufacturing and marketing products for the improvement of asphalt characteristics and the construction of road pavements, increasing safety, sustainability, efficiency and performance. Thanks to the technologies developed, Iterchimica is able to allow the construction of road pavements with very high percentages of recycled asphalt (up to 100%), thus reducing the extraction of new materials and the use of first-use bitumen. In addition, the use of specific products makes it possible to create asphalt pavements at reduced temperatures, with consequent energy savings and reduction of CO2 eq emissions into the atmosphere.
Press contact:
Alberto Murer M: +39 334 6086216 E: a.murer@bemedia.it
Federico Spagna M: +39 389 0209835 E: f.spagna@bemedia.it
About Vezzola
Vezzola S.p.A. has been operating in the mining sector for seventy years, working natural inert with specialized and cutting-edge techniques, supplying sand and gravel from the quarries of the provinces of Brescia, Mantua and Cremona. Anticipating the need to protect non-renewable raw materials, for over 15 years Vezzola has developed a solid experience in the production of materials from recycling activities, equipping itself with cutting-edge systems that protect man and the environment.
Vezzola offers the market products with a high percentage of regenerated materials to replace natural raw materials and is the first Lombard company in the asphalt sector to obtain EPD (Environmental product declaration) product certification, having an objective attestation that communicates environmental performance and the commitment to combine environmental sustainability and production activity in a clear and transparent way.
About Antonutti
Antonutti S.R.L. operates in the field of construction and primary and secondary maintenance of road construction works. Active in the public and private sector, the company has carried out design and arrangement of some of the most important arteries in Lombardy and Northern Italy. In addition to road construction works, paving and maintenance, Antonutti combines the study and execution of small and medium-sized civil and industrial works, applying the skills acquired in the context of large public works and also creating "turnkey" projects, supporting the client with innovative technical suggestions.
Antonutti works with the proven quality of the raw materials and suppliers it uses, with the precise aim of significantly reducing the discomfort for citizens. A social attention particularly appreciated by public clients and by the communities of the areas affected by the construction or improvement interventions.
