When we talk about zeolites, we are talking about a highly versatile material with several applications in modern industry, capable of purifying wastewater, cleaning industrial gases, improving agricultural soils, and even contributing to more sustainable construction. Yet most people have never heard of them.
Z-ONA4LIFE is working to change that situation. The project will not only produce synthetic zeolite from hazardous aluminium industry waste, but it also wants to demonstrate how this material can be put to work across a wide range of industrial sectors, supporting circular production models, replacing virgin raw materials and reducing waste streams.
A sustainable solution for environmental protection
The Z-ONA zeolite is being tested for some of the most pressing environmental challenges in industry today. In wastewater treatment, it has shown the ability to capture heavy metals and other pollutants and harmful substances from real industrial effluents, including mining effluents and landfill leachates from COGERSA's waste treatment facility in Asturias. Moreover, Alusigma will assess the potential for purifying its industrial gas streams.
But the applications do not stop there. Agriculture, construction, and environmental remediation are all sectors where zeolites are already making an impact, and where Z-ONA zeolite has strong potential to offer a more sustainable alternative.
A circular approach to industrial challenges
What sets Z-ONA4LIFE apart is not just the material itself, but the way it is produced. By transforming aluminium salt slag and silicon-rich industrial waste into a high-value product, the project turns two waste streams into one solution, reducing hazardous waste disposal costs, lowering dependence on virgin raw materials, and opening new commercial opportunities for the aluminium recycling sector across Europe. This is what industrial circularity looks like in practice.
Want to discover all the industrial applications of Z-ONA zeolite? Visit the dedicated section on our website.