A multi-national project funded by Innovate UK is looking to turn waste into a valuable and sustainable material for the construction industry.
The Inciner-8-2-Net0 programme is seeking a new purpose for incineration waste in the UK and Singapore, with the aim to reduce the amount of waste in landfill, and lower the embodied carbon in cement and concrete mixes.
The programme intends to pioneer a method to accelerate carbonation, a natural process that turns CO2 into a solid form for use in construction materials; effectively locking away carbon.
The method was developed by the University of Manchester CREATES team – Concrete Materials, Resource Efficiency & Advanced Technology for Sustainability. This is a research group dedicated to attaining a Net Zero built environment, through exploring new materials and developing novel methods that optimise the use of concrete materials.
CREATES’ approach will involve the use of wastewater and CO2 from flue gas. Such a combination is said to enable the permanent storage of CO2 in processed incinerator bottom ash (IBA), while improving its stability and making it suitable for construction applications.
The Manchester team will work with industry partners and their academic partner, Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, to create a technical solution for this excessive waste, that is more consistent and less harmful to the environment.
Professor Cise Unluer, chair in net zero in the university’s Department of Civil Engineering & Management, leads CREATES, and is the principal investigator for Manchester’s Inciner-8-2-Net0 team.
She said: “We will harness the potential of incineration bottom ash to turn waste into a valuable resource, helping the UK meet its Net Zero goals. By reducing reliance on virgin materials, sequestering CO2, and stabilising harmful elements, this approach supports a circular economy and lowers embodied carbon, making a direct contribution to the industry’s transition to low-carbon practices.”
Co-principal investigator, Dr Meini Su, senior lecturer in structural engineering in the Department of Civil Engineering & Management, added: “Utilising incineration bottom ash in construction is a significant step towards reducing the environmental burden of waste. By transforming this by-product into a functional material, we not only conserve natural resources but also support more sustainable construction approaches.”
The UK produces a staggering 3m tonnes of processed incinerator bottom ash annually from waste incineration, which is not aided by the growing global pressure on waste management.
At the heart of this project is a vision set to shape the future of the construction sector, and its route to achieving Net Zero. The transfer of knowledge between the UK and Singapore is expected to help to advance the construction industry’s transition to a circular economy, reducing both waste and emissions on a global scale.
Inciner-8-2-Net0 is led by Akerlof, a consultancy that works with leaders across both public and private sectors to help deliver positive social, economic and environmental impact.
The programme’s industry partners – Blue Phoenix, Carbon Upcycling, Marshalls, PanUnited, PCE and Recycl8 – will work to establish a commercially viable pathway to enable widespread adoption, offering clear guidelines for the construction industries in both the UK and Singapore.
John Handscomb, partner at Akerlof, said: “This project exemplifies the power of multinational collaboration in solving complex global challenges. By turning waste into a resource, we’re not only addressing immediate environmental concerns but doing so in a way that is both impactful and scalable.”
Main image: Manchester University’s Inciner-8-2-Net0 project team
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