Background The quantity of municipal solid waste in Europe (415 Kg per capita in 2000) is increasing, though in many European countries recycling rates are still very low. The main barriers to an increase in recycling are low collection rates, the high costs compared to virgin materials and restricted market opportunities for secondary materials. Additionally, the low quality of some recycled products makes them unsuitable for certain uses. The main challenge is to develop new and competitive products, and establish reliable and sustainable markets for recycled products. Objectives The project aimed to offer solutions to waste management problems in Portugal caused by plastics, rubber and beverage cartons. This would be done by creating new composite materials from these waste products, from which lane-dividers, guardrails, anti-glare systems, road signs and other roads-related articles could be produced. Awareness would be raised among relevant stakeholders of the benefits of these articles vis-à-vis conventional products from non-recycled material. Furthermore, a ‘green mile’ of motorway would be built, within which all building material and infrastructure would be made from recycled substances. Results The project achieved its main objectives and results. ECOVIA developed three products produced with recycled material (80% mixed plastics, 10% rubber and 10% beverage cartons) and 435 posts for fencing, 10 footbridges for telematics sites and 15 kerb protectors were installed in the ‘Green Kilometre’ and in some toll gate machines. ECOVIA also demonstrated (tests were conducted in laboratory and ‘real’ conditions) the feasibility of using recycled products in the road sector and the possibility of increasing recycling rates. The project also showed their environmental and economical benefits: The 560 units produced and installed allowed the use of 5 900 Kg of recycled material that would have been otherwise land-filled. With these three different products it is possible, on average, to use 10 tonnes/km of recycled material. For every 50 000 recycled posts produced, the cost is roughly 7% lower than the current wooden posts. The production of 50 000 recycled posts represents the recycling of around 372 000 Kg of mixed plastics, 46 500 Kg of rubber and 46 500 Kg of ECAL. For each kilometre of road, it is possible to recycle 230 end-of-life tyres and to save 710 kg of wood, 186 kg of polyethylene and 34 kg of aluminium (average: 1 000 posts per Km).Of all the products studied, however, only three were shown to be viable. In fact, despite all the efforts made, it was not possible to produce some of the planned products with these three types of residues because quality, resistance and safety levels could not be guaranteed. The project developed manufacturing guides for the new products, specifying their manufacturing process, their characteristics and their performance in order to promote their transferability. The technology and methods developed by the project form a reliable technical solution that can be adopted by other companies. Due to the positive results of the project, the beneficiary plans to install the recycled products produced and to continue to research new recycled products. It is expected that this project will continue after its end because ECOVIA opens a new door for the beneficiary. Based on the project results, the use of the products produced by the project is a driving force to enhance the importance of reusing material. The economic viability study carried out showed the reduction of production costs of some products and the beneficiary has already plans to install the products produced by the project in the future (50Km per year). In fact, some figures are presented for the next 5 years to install: 125 footbridges and 450 kerb protectors in the new highways and 35 footbridges and 140 kerb protectors in replacements and repairs. Further information on the project can be found in the project's layman report and After-LIFE Communication Plan (see "Read more" section).