Summary

As part of the funding initiative “Resource-Efficient Circular Economy – Urban Mining” by the Federal Ministry for Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR), the research project “RueBe” was launched in November 2025 under the leadership of the Fraunhofer Institute for Building Physics (IBP). The aim of the project is to utilize mineral waste from DK0 landfills in sustainable construction material cycles. Wet-mechanical processing methods (e.g., soil washing) are used to remove contaminants and to make both coarse and fine fractions usable as valuable secondary raw materials. In parallel, regulatory barriers are addressed, and ecological as well as economic assessments are conducted to evaluate the market viability of the solution concepts.

Problem Statement

DK0 landfills, with an estimated volume of over 15 billion tonnes of excavated soil and construction waste (as of 2022), represent significant anthropogenic resource reservoirs. However, the material potential associated with these deposits has so far remained largely untapped. For sustainable resource security and to relieve limited landfill capacities, the recovery and quality-assured reintegration of these mineral landfill materials into the construction materials cycle is urgently required.

Project Description

RueBe focuses on the comprehensive utilization of materials stored in DK0 landfills. Wet-mechanical processing is used to remove contaminants and improve material quality. The aim is to enable both coarse and fine fractions, after processing, to be used as secondary raw materials in construction products such as alternative binders, controlled low-strength materials (flowable fills), or masonry bricks.

In addition, the project specifically analyzes regulatory barriers and develops solution approaches to facilitate the use of these recovered materials in construction products. A detailed ecological and economic assessment accompanies the work in order to quantify environmental impacts and market potential. Furthermore, concepts for the recycling of construction materials based on recycled content are developed and evaluated.

Project Objective

The project partners cover the entire value chain—from raw material extraction through material processing and development to the industrial production of construction materials. This creates the conditions for ensuring that both the planned activities and the resulting research outcomes are consistently geared toward timely, market-ready implementation and utilization throughout the project duration.

RueBe thus contributes to resource conservation and promotes a sustainable circular economy in Germany.

Project Partners

• Fraunhofer IBP (Project koordination)

• Technical University of Munich – Chair and Testing Office for Geotechnical Engineering, Soil Mechanics, Rock Mechanics and Tunnelling

• Wilhelm Geiger GmbH & Co. KG

• Schlagmann Poroton GmbH & Co. KG

• tyssenkrupp MillServices & Systems GmbH

• H. Geiger GmbH Stone and Gravel Works

• German Federal Association for Secondary Raw Materials and Waste Management (bvse e.V.)

• Dyckerhoff GmbH