Opportunities and Barriers for Valorizing Waste Incineration Bottom Ash: Iberian Countries as a Case Study

Incineration bottom ashes (IBA) are the main waste from municipal solid (MSW) incineration. In Iberian countries (Portugal and Spain), MSW incineration with energy recovery (WtE) plays an important role in management. IBA is highly produced managed differently both between within countries. This paper aims to provide a comprehensive overview of management model using Peninsula as case study, addressing its properties, current management, incentives difficulties valorizing, prospects. For this purpose, plants were approached, broad literature review was conducted gather information. About 10% 41% have been landfilled Portugal Spain, respectively. Metals (mostly ferrous) Portuguese (6% IBA) Spanish (9% WtE recycled. Portugal, remaining (84%) has temporarily stored (11%), applied landfills substitute for soil intermediate final covers, construction paths, accesses, platforms (41%), or used civil engineering work road (48%). (50%) reused mainly secondary raw material fields (77%), while rest conditioning (4%), alsoa aggregate replacing natural materials. Both regulate reuse outside but consider different requirements criteria. Nevertheless, there drivers barriers valorization. future, applications will likely continue be developed, concern protecting environment. Growing confidence following publication proper studies expected. Globally, uniform legal frameworks among EU members same standards would lead better