A new low-carbon way for China to handle the hazardous leftovers from its municipal waste incineration processes has been revealed in a recent study, as reported by TechXplore.
Leftovers from the country's waste management, which are called municipal solid waste incineration fly ash (MSWI FA), are classified as HW18 on its hazardous materials list due to a variety of pollutants.
This dangerous material's production is expected to hit 10 million tons annually by 2025, as the report detailed, making up around 10% of China's hazardous waste output.
Researchers have found a possible solution to this problem, which could also address the carbon dioxide pollution associated with concrete and cement manufacturing.
"A key insight from our study is the potential of MSWI FA, when combined with blast furnace slag (BFS) and desulfurization gypsum (DFG), to form a low-carbon, cost-effective cementitious material that meets environmental safety standards," lead author Siqi Zhang shared in the report.
"This approach not only provides a sustainable solution for hazardous waste disposal but also offers a viable alternative to traditional cement in various industrial applications."
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The composite material has been shown to solidify and stabilize heavy metals within its structure, as the report detailed, offering stable storage for these hazardous products. That could also reduce the amount sent to landfills and minimize leaching potential into the environment.
The production of cement, which makes up about 10-15% of concrete's mass, accounts for 90% of the end product's planet-warming gas pollution. This industry sector is responsible for a whopping 7-8% of the entire world's carbon pollution.
The addition of these waste products into concrete showed a relatively strong compressive strength of 41.49 megapascal after 360 days of curing, which is as good or higher than that used in commercial applications. The composite also has a low leaching potential that meets groundwater standards, according to the study.
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Through this process, fewer of these hazardous materials would be in a position to damage the environment and negatively impact the lives of people living nearby.
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It could also reduce the deleterious impacts of concrete production by replacing the need for clinker, a material that requires intense heat to create, usually through burning dirty fuels.
"This research opens up new possibilities for utilizing hazardous waste in a way that is both environmentally friendly and economically viable," Zhang explained, per the article.
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