--- type: "Article" title: "How does FILAB help its customers recover value from their industrial waste? – Case study" description: "Case study Recycling industrial waste: FILAB's expertise in action FILAB has helped three separate clients to recover value from their industrial waste. Accueil • Blog • Recycling industrial waste: FILAB's expertise in action How does FILAB help its customers to..." resource: "https://filab.fr/en/blog/2025/12/how-does-filab-help-its-customers-recover-value-from-their-industrial-waste-case-study/" tags: ["Case study", "Waste management", "EN", "pll_69202d3219e00"] timestamp: "2026-01-22T13:02:11Z" published: "2025-12-02T07:05:19Z" language: "en" author: "bwa" --- # How does FILAB help its customers recover value from their industrial waste? – Case study Case study # Recycling industrial waste: FILAB's expertise in action FILAB has helped three separate clients to recover value from their industrial waste. [Home](https://filab.fr) • [News](https://filab.fr/?post_type=post) • Recycling industrial waste: FILAB's expertise in action ## How does FILAB help its customers to recover value from their industrial waste? **In an ever-changing industrial landscape, many manufacturers encounter material residues in the production of their products. These residues can vary in quantity depending on the manufacturing process.** This case study focuses on how the FILAB laboratory helped three separate clients to recover value from their industrial residues, transforming environmental and economic challenges into sustainable opportunities. Manufacturers face two major problems: the use of expensive raw materials and the costly management of industrial waste. The generation of industrial waste represents a significant cost, particularly in terms of disposal and classification. These challenges hinder both operational performance and environmental performance improvements for companies. ## Summary 01 Understanding the issues... [](#cont-01) 02 Launch of analysis at the FILAB Laboratory: Our solutions, our routine! [](#cont-02) 03 Analysis of minerals, metals (including precious metals), and rare earth elements at FILAB [](#cont-03) 04 FILAB halogen analysis [](#cont-04) 05 The results obtained [](#cont-05) 01 ## Understanding the issues... Today, industrial waste recovery presents a twofold challenge: - It generates new resources as raw materials for certain industries - It reduces the impact on the environment and health. Three of FILAB's industrial clients recently approached the laboratory with the following requests: - Client 1: recovery of waste consisting mainly of quartz and lime - Client 2: recycling steel industry waste (dust and slag) - Client 3: recycling solid and liquid waste from battery shredding and washing water 02 ## Launch of analysis at the FILAB Laboratory: Our solutions, our routine! **Pre-analysis approach:** First, to support the three manufacturers, FILAB studied the elements of interest. These elements may be found in waste depending on the raw materials and processes used. The idea here was to detect and determine the elements that might be of interest to them for subsequent recovery. After this initial step, each of the manufacturers wanted to continue the study in different ways: - Client 1: After discussions with this first manufacturer, they wanted a very broad study of the metal and mineral fractions found in their product. - Client 2: They wanted to determine the precise content of metals (aluminum, iron, copper, cobalt, nickel, etc.) and rare earth elements (cerium, lanthanum, yttrium, etc.). - Client 3: He wanted to know the metal, precious metal (platinum, palladium, gold, etc.), and halogen (such as fluorine) content. 03 ## Analysis of minerals, metals (including precious metals), and rare earth elements at FILAB The first step is to prepare the sample. This allows a clear liquid solution to be obtained from a solid sample, in which all the elements of interest are dissolved. This step is known as "mineralization" or "acid digestion." FILAB treats each sample individually, optimizing the choice of acids and mineralization conditions. ![](https://filab.fr/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/etude-mineraux.png) Once the mineralization solution has been obtained, FILAB uses the ICP (Inductively Coupled Plasma) technique, which breaks down the sample as it passes through a plasma. This technique is coupled with either an atomic emission spectrometer (ICP-AES) to determine major elements or concentrations greater than 1 mg/kg (0.0001%) or a mass spectrometer (ICP-MS) to analyze traces (less than 1 mg/kg). These cutting-edge technologies in our laboratories enable the analysis of more than fifty different elements. 04 ## FILAB halogen analysis When searching for halogens such as fluorine or bromine, for example, the preparation principle is also to obtain a liquid solution, but several methods of solution preparation are possible (combustion under oxygen, for example). This solution is then injected and quantified using one of our four ion chromatography (IC) systems. ![](https://filab.fr/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Image2.png) 05 ## The results obtained FILAB's in-depth analysis made it possible to accurately determine the concentrations of various elements in each client's waste. This information was essential in guiding clients toward the recovery methods best suited to their specific needs. FILAB's approach enabled the efficient recovery of industrial waste, providing new sources of raw materials and reducing environmental impact. These cases demonstrate FILAB's expertise in solving complex problems and its commitment to sustainable industrial solutions. Need help? Contact our team [](#filab-contact-form) ## Other case studies you may be interested in ### Comparative study of two joints [Learn more +](https://filab.fr/en/blog/2025/12/comparative-study-of-two-seals-made-of-fkm-and-epdm.md) ### Optimization of the coating of a can One of our clients wants expertise and optimization of the coating used on the cans it uses to market its beverages. [Learn more +](https://filab.fr/en/blog/2025/12/optimization-of-the-coating-of-a-can.md) ### Yellowing of silicone Silicones are now widely used in various fields thanks to their remarkable physical and chemical properties, such as excellent thermal stability, high resistance to oxidation and hydrolysis, and excellent gas permeability. [Learn more +](https://filab.fr/en/blog/2025/12/how-filab-helped-one-of-its-customers-understand-the-yellowing-phenomenon-of-a-silicone.md) [View all our case studies](https://filab.fr/en/blog-filab.md) ## Services related to the case study [## Analyzing rare earth elements in the laboratory](https://filab.fr/en/our-services/our-analysis-services/metallurgical-analysis-laboratory/analysing-rare-earth-elements-in-the-laboratory.md) [## Industrial waste recovery in the laboratory](https://filab.fr/en/our-services/our-expertise-services/industrial-sustainability-transition/waste-recovery-analysis-laboratory.md) [## Halogen analysis](https://filab.fr/en/our-services/our-analysis-services/halogen-analysis-laboratory.md) [## Metallurgical](https://filab.fr/en/sectors-of-activity/laboratory-metallurgy-steelmaking-analysis.md) [## Aluminum analysis and aluminum alloy testing services](https://filab.fr/en/our-services/our-analysis-services/metallurgical-analysis-laboratory/laboratory-analysis-aluminum-alloys.md) [![avis filab](https://filab.fr/wp-content/themes/astra-child/templates/assets/img/avis-verifies.svg) 5/5 ![note filab](https://filab.fr/wp-content/themes/astra-child/templates/assets/img/stars.svg)](https://www.avis-verifies.com/avis-clients/filab.fr) ## Laboratory specializing in analysis and expertise for industrial companies ![More than 140 people](https://filab.fr/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/collaborateurs-1.svg) More than 140 people at your service ![5200 m² laboratory](https://filab.fr/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/labo.svg) 5200 m² laboratory + 99% of services are provided in-house ![Accredited laboratory](https://filab.fr/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/ISO-17025-1.svg) Accredited laboratory COFRAC ISO 17025 ![+2200 clients](https://filab.fr/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/clients.svg) +2200 clients in France and abroad ### Contact us Our services are reserved for professionals. 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