Background The European agglomerated stone production industry accounts for some 84% of total worldwide production. During the cutting and processing of stone slabs, blocks and tiles, however, the industry produces large quantities of sludge – 346 500 tonnes/year in Europe – which is mostly sent to landfill. If adequately treated, the sludge could be reused as a secondary raw material within the stone industry, reducing the landfilling of sludge, excavation of primary materials and CO2 emissions associated with the transport of raw materials. Objectives The SASIES project aimed to develop and test a new process for the recovery and treatment of waste sludge from agglomerated stone cutting and processing. The project aimed to put in place a strategy to exploit a ‘short production-supply chain’ that reintroduces into the production process the raw material, agglomerated stone, and waste material (stone sludge). As a result, the volume of waste going to landfill and the consumption of natural resources is significantly reduced. Specifically, the project aimed to: Demonstrate the potential for recycling all sludge produced in the agglomerated stone industry, avoiding the need for landfill and reducing the consumption of natural raw materials and CO2 emissions; Recycle 6 250 tonnes of stone sludge from Santamargherita’s agglomerated stone production; Reduce the amount of raw material excavated by 9 375 tonnes; Reduce CO2 emissions associated with the transportation, landfill and delivery of raw and waste materials ( 3 500-4 000 fewer lorry loads per year); Implement two production processes and one pilot plant to recycle stone sludge; Produce one monitoring and evaluation report on the project's achievements; and Carry out eight demonstrations of the usability of the end-products in target industries in Europe. Results The SASIES project demonstrated the potential for recycling all sludge produced in the agglomerated stone cutting and processing, reducing landfill and consumption of natural resources. Specifically, the recycling of agglomerated stone sludge was demonstrated by developing: Treatment processes for making inert carbonate-calcium sludge and bleaching silicate sludge; A definition of the parameters to be reproduced at pilot scale for their transformation in useful products for the construction sector; The production process of samples of different agglomerated stones in the factory of Minerali Industriali at Masserano (Province of Biella).As a result, the project was able to demonstrate the feasibility of recycling the entire amount of sludge produced in the agglomerated stones industry, and thus reduce landfilling, natural raw materials consumption and CO2 emissions for transport. It was also able to show how to recycle 60 tons of stone sludge through the substitution of 160 tons of raw material. Most of the project quantitative objectives, however, were not achieved and the Commission took the decision to terminate the project earlier than foreseen. Due to financial problems, the beneficiary was not able to finalise the planned pilot plant for recycling of stone sludges from the Santamargherita’s agglomerated stones’ production. It was only able to test from a qualitative point of view a recycling process for recovering waste sludge. Nevertheless, the project increased know-how on the sustainable management and use of natural resources and waste related to the agglomerated stone industry. The new process could potentially be implemented all over Europe. Further information on the project can be found in the project's layman report and After-LIFE Communication Plan (see "Read more" section).