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
There are no upcoming events to display.
Are you a journalist covering circular economy and would like to know more on how ICARUS is upcycling secondary raw materials?
Request a visitNews
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
ICARUS Project: Recovery and Revaluation of Secondary Resources for Industrial Use
The water sector is increasingly adopting more sustainable and efficient practices, with the ICARUS project, led by Acciona, at the forefront of this transformation. The project aims to recover secondary resources from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and repurpose them in the construction industry, supporting the principles of the circular economy. Historically, WWTPs have been focused… Continue reading ICARUS Project: Recovery and Revaluation of Secondary Resources for Industrial Use
