Project objectives

Green Casting LIFE project aims to demonstrate the technical and environmental feasibility of using inorganic binders, instead of traditional organic ones, in ferrous foundries.

Objectives

  • To successfully use inorganic binder systems on an industrial scale in 6 flagship ferrous foundries, including necessary equipment investments, in five European countries.
  • To develop tailor-made inorganic binder systems solutions for iron and steel foundries, in cooperation with the flagship foundries.
  • To demonstrate different type of sand reclamation methods for inorganic binder system sands (thermal, mechanical and wet methods).
  • To enhance the replication potential by
    • contacting 200 and interviewing 100 potential ferrous foundries.
    • guiding and testing inorganic binders in 15 selected follower pilot foundries in Europe.
    • providing new results and experiences for the preparation of the Reference Document on Best Available Techniques in the Smitheries and Foundries Industry (BREF document).
  • To ensure an efficient communication and dissemination of the project activities.
  • To arrange training workshops in six partner countries for potential follower pilot foundries and other relevant stakeholders.
Expected results

  • Experiences and know-how from six flagship foundries for implementing inorganic binders in their production.
  • Step-by-step implementation plans for flagship foundries for the full-scale implementation of inorganic binders.
  • Emission reductions after changing from organic binder systems to inorganic binder systems:
    • To reduce total hazardous airborne emissions by 80-95% (VOC, SO2, NOx, Particulate Matters…) in the production lines using inorganic binders compared.
    • To create a healthier environment for the workers by improving indoor air quality in foundries by 70 (CO, VOC, PM, formaldehyde, phenols…).
    • To reduce the harmful substances in waste sand by 80-90% (DOC, phenols, fluoride, BTEX concentrations)
    • To decrease the amount of waste sand to be landfilled by 90% in the partner foundries.
    • After 5 years from the end of the project 300 ferrous foundries in EU are expected to change from current organic to inorganic binder systems.