Over 90% of the basic power supply in Estonia is provided by oil shale firing thermal power plants. Oil shale mining and processing generate vast amounts of by-products that are mostly deposited coursing environmental impacts. Estonian oil shale (OSA) is characterized by a high mineral matter. After combustion 45–48% of the oil shale is left over as ash, producing about 5–7 Mt of OSA annually. Despite numerous studies only a small amount of OSA is currently recycled - around 3% of the annual amount produced. Eesti Energia (EE) concern moving towards to environmental sound production set a goal to find solutions to maximise the utilisation of OSA and minimise the deposition at the landfill.

Due to its chemical content OSA could be considered as a valuable binder material, which could be used to improve stabilization and strength of civil-engineering structures. Based on these assumptions in the year 2010 the OSAMAT project was initiated. The project aimed at introducing, testing and promoting advanced methods of using OSA as a valuable material in road construction. The project results are intended to serve as basic data for the European policies and local regulation concerning waste recovery to promote sustainable recycling with a focus on life thinking and development of recyclables market.

The project was managed by coordinating beneficiary Eesti Energia AS - the largest company in the world producing energy from the oil shale.Associated beneficiaries were EE daughter company Eesti Energia Narva Elektrijaamad AS and construction company Nordecon AS. The project was co-financed by Estonian Road Administration.

OSA was tested in construction of the two pilot sites in two construction technologies: road base courses layer stabilization (Narva-Mustajõe pilot site) and mass stabilization of peat (Simuna-Vaiatu pilot site).

The OSAMAT project demonstrations are presented in two videos.

The shorter video brings the details of the mass-stabilisation of the peat in Simuna-Vaiatu pilot site.

{youtube}oP8d7pSl-88{/youtube}

The longer video gives the information about the both pilot sites construction (including Narva-Mustajõe pilot site construction) and project goals.

{youtube}y4BumQLvKcc{/youtube}