Identified an interesting new response to one of the 19 challenges opened by the STAND Up! partner in Tunisia CITET through the Switchers Open Eco-Innovation platform.

Still launched by MFCPôle/Neotex, a public-private organization created in 2006 in Monastir to boost and support the Tunisian textiles & clothing sector, the challenge focused on the “Biological sludge recovery”  with the aims to find the suitable solution to transform the large quantities of sludge generated through the wastewater treatment plant necessary after the textile wet processes production (washing, dyeing, finishing…)

As sludge is chemically fixed and then dumped in landfills and its treatment involves the use of chemicals, energy and space, without creating any added value, the challenge invited Tunisian start-ups to identify a proposal to turn sludge into combustible for cement plants or cobblestone.

The perfect fit then came with the Ecostone project, presented by Dr Yosra SAAD, chemist and founder of the startup EIC Consulting, established in 2022 in the field of environment and industrial chemistry.

The Ecostone solution plans to incorporate sludge into the formulation of concrete paving stones as a major innovation on a national scale aiming to solve the problem of textile sludge disposal.

Concrete pavers are among the most widely used products for pavements, pedestrian squares, interchange mounds and outdoor landscaping. They are resistant and durable materials and come in various shapes (square, rectangular, I-shaped, etc.), sizes and colours.

This cementitious material represents a new recovery route for industrial sludge that will allow the management of large volumes of sludge and reduce the need for quarried materials. The manufacture of this material, which is done cold, is part of a vision of sustainable development.

In addition to the benefit of solving the environmental problem, this project will also bring economic benefits, such as reducing the costs of sludge storage and disposal and creating a source of income for the parties involved.

For these purposes, within the STAND Up! eco-innovation voucher scheme, the entrepreneur will be awarded with a voucher set worth 20,000€, to implement studies, to conduct market analysis, kick-off a pilot project and strengthen the start-up’s team.