Eco-Friendly Materials and Products from the Waste Derived from the Processing of Apricena Stone: State of the Art and New Employment Prospects

The stone industry in Italy represents an important reality in the manufacturing production landscape, generating a wide range of stone products, including slabs, blocks, and tiles. In Puglia, there is the Apricena district, known for its production of precious stones, distinguished by varieties such as Fiorito, Biancone, and Serpeggiante. However, the sector is facing several challenges, including international competition and production of waste. The waste comes from processing activities such as cutting, leading to the generation of slurry stone waste, also known as "marmettola." Currently, there is no homogeneous legislation in Italy, often resulting in waste disposal in landfills. This underscores the need to improve the sustainability of production activities by exploring new solutions for the reuse of these stone wastes. In this context, the research aims to survey literature experiences pursuing the reuse of waste through the development of new materials and composite elements. The methodology involves screening contributions on various scientific databases such as Scopus, ScienceDirect, Espacenet, etc., using appropriate keywords. Contributions are then categorized by mechanical, chemical, and physical performances, as well as the application fields for these composite materials. This analysis will help in identifying the widest applications capable of effectively absorbing waste volumes.