Abstract
Fly ashes from municipal waste incineration represent today an environmental problem because of their extremely fine size and the relevant quantities of heavy metals (Pb, Zn, Cd, etc.) mainly condensed on their surface. The inertisation by a vitrification process of municipal waste incineration fly ashes together with other inorganic waste such as coal combustion, fly ashes, steel dust, foundry sand, etc. can produce an inert and chemically stable glass. With this process, developed within the Waste Based Reinforced Materials project, cofinanced by the Life Environment Programme, a good quality glass has been produced. With this glass continuous fibres have been produced in a pilot bushing plant. The plastic and bituminous materials reinforced with these fibres have physical and mechanical properties comparable with those of commercial glass fibres.