Upcycling Secondary Resources
About the project
Advancing circular economy principles through groundbreaking research and innovative technologies.
ICARUS aims to provide technological support to energy-intensive and construction industries for the transition to more sustainable and digital processes in a business model for successful market implementation.
ICARUS is demonstrating how high-impact industrial waste can be transformed into valuable materials for the construction sector. Through three real-scale demo cases across Europe, the project validates innovative upcycling technologies that support a more circular, greener and digital industry.
DEMO 1
Spain & GermanyUpcycling of waste from the Lithium extraction & refinery
DEMO 2
Spain & ItalyUpcycling of industrial and urban cellulosic waste
DEMO 3
SpainSteelmaking slag upgrading via carbon capture routes into added value materials
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Social Topics Materiality assessment
The ICARUS project, funded by the European Union, is developing and evaluating three upcycling projects. Alongside environmental impacts, the project is also assessing the social impacts associated with these activities and processes. Using the Social Life Cycle Assessment (S-LCA) methodology, ICARUS aims to understand which social issues are most relevant to stakeholders and identify potential… Continue reading Social Topics Materiality assessment
CARTIF presents the results of the ICARUS project at the 46th Meeting of the Electrochemistry Specialist Group (RSEQ)
CARTIF, a partner in the ICARUS project, has presented the results of its research on the sustainable leaching of a lithium residual stream (LAR) at the XLVI Meeting of the Electrochemistry Specialised Group of the Royal Spanish Society of Chemistry (GEE-RSEQ), held in Barcelona from 7 to 10 July 2026. The work was presented by… Continue reading CARTIF presents the results of the ICARUS project at the 46th Meeting of the Electrochemistry Specialist Group (RSEQ)
Upcycling Cellulosic Waste Streams into Construction Materials – Life cycle assessment under ICARUS project
This paper, presented at the 13th International Conference on Sustainable Solid Waste Management (KOS2026), describes the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology for ICARUS project’s Demo Case 2, which addresses the recovery and upcycling of cellulose-containing secondary raw materials from post-consumer absorbent hygiene products and wastewater treatment plant sludge for use in concrete. Following ISO 14040/14044 and… Continue reading Upcycling Cellulosic Waste Streams into Construction Materials – Life cycle assessment under ICARUS project
Operational benefits bolster cellulose recovery tech
The article was published on 21 April in the Global Water Intelligence Magazine by Kelly Thompson.Read the article here.
ICARUS: Turning Waste into Circular Cellulose for Construction
The ICARUS project is pioneering innovative circular solutions by recovering cellulose from urban wastewater and absorbent hygiene products (AHPs), such as diapers and sanitary pads, for use in construction materials. Pilots in Italy and Spain, led by i-Foria and ACCIONA, are validating technologies that safely separate cellulose, plastics, and superabsorbent polymers, producing clean, reusable materials… Continue reading ICARUS: Turning Waste into Circular Cellulose for Construction
