Title: Innovative Approach by Young Entrepreneurs for Local CDR and Storage Solutions
Our modern way of life is a delicate balance between comfort and sustainability. The high standards we enjoy come at a price, with processes that emit carbon dioxide driving our planet towards environmental limits. The urgent need for a carbon dioxide removal (CDR) strategy is paramount.
The key lesson from my recent exploration of carbon capture and storage was that while overcoming emission capture challenges is challenging, the lack of transportation and storage infrastructure is the actual problem. In response, a clever Swiss company named neustark has devised an ingenious solution to store carbon dioxide, captured from waste treatment facilities, within everyday material – concrete.
The goal is to create a local, circular economy by transforming demolished concrete into a carbon-negative building material. Although it might seem comparable to low-carbon cement producers like Eco Material Technologies, neustark takes a unique approach by focusing on concrete's CO2 absorption capacity, specifically in its crushed form.
Founded in 2019 by scientists and innovators Johannes Tiefenthaler and Valentin Gutknecht, neustark has identified the CO emissions from waste management facilities as a distinct problem. These facilities naturally capture methane generated from organic matter decomposition and turn it into renewable natural gas. However, decomposition also results in carbon dioxide, which most facilities unfortunately release into the atmosphere due to a lack of cost-effective storage methods.
Neustark's proprietary solution involves installing innovative reactors directly in concrete recycling plants. These facilities crush old concrete from demolished buildings, forming aggregate (pebbles and sand) that cement binds together to create concrete. By integrating the captured CO2 from biofuel manufacturers and waste processing plants into the reactor, a mineralization process takes place in which calcium ions in the concrete combine with the CO2 to form calcium carbonate, or synthetic limestone.
With each neustark reactor drawing an equivalent of 50 pine trees' annual CO2 absorption, the mineralization process ensures permanent CO storage. Furthermore, the resulting limestone aggregate is suitable for use in construction, creating an efficient closed-loop system for both concrete and carbon.

Neustark emphasizes building local networks to minimize the carbon footprint associated with capturing, liquefying, and transporting CO2. Currently, the company has four emission source partners and is developing ten more. It also has 40 potential sequestration sites, recently announcing expansion to the UK with a storage partner.
As Neustark sources its CO2 from organic waste, its solution contributes to a carbon-negative footprint, making it similar to companies reported on, such as Brilliant Planet. By chemically “burying” atmospheric CO2 in roads, sidewalks, and buildings rather than underground, Neustark’s approach shares the same goal of carbon retention.
Neustark generates income through equipment sales to concrete recyclers to construct the bolt-on mineralization reactors and through the sale of high-quality carbon credits on the voluntary market. The company handles the reporting and verification of these credits, enabling concrete recyclers to co-benefit from credit revenues.
By repurposing waste concrete and providing an economically viable pathway for CDR, Neustark brings a fresh perspective to concrete's environmental reputation. As demand for carbon credits and eco-friendly building solutions grows, Neustark's blend of science, engineering, and business innovation positions it as a significant player in the battle against climate change. Intelligent investors should take note.
Neustark's innovative solution, using their proprietary reactors in concrete recycling plants, transforms captured carbon dioxide from waste treatment facilities into calcium carbonate, permanently storing carbon and producing a suitable material for construction, contributing to the creation of carbon-negative building materials. This approach to carbon dioxide removal through mineralization, as practiced by Neustark, can generate income through the sale of carbon credits on the voluntary market.