Steel waste, methane drive 80% drop in cement emissions in China, study reveals

[applegrove]

Steel waste, methane drive 80% drop in cement emissions in China, study reveals

The innovative approach tackles the urgent challenge of decarbonizing cement production while showcasing industrial waste as a powerful tool for sustainable innovation.

Updated: Apr 30, 2025 08:47 AM EST

Georgina Jedikovska

A detailed microscopy image showcasing the microstructure of natural cement.

https://interestingengineering.com/science/steel-waste-cuts-cement-emissions-china

Northwestern University

Chinese experts have made a groundbreaking move to decarbonize one of the world’s most emissions-heavy industries by developing a new catalytic process that could transform cement production.

The Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics researchers, also called Huawusuo, a part of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, harnessed steel waste and methane to slash CO₂ emissions by up to 80 percent.

According to the team, calcium carbonate (CaCO₃ decomposition, which accounts for about 60 percent of total carbon emissions during cement production, has posed a significant challenge ever since the industry’s inception.

Despite two centuries of equipment upgrades – from rudimentary kilns to modern dry-process systems – the core chemistry of cement remained carbon-intensive due to the need for high-temperature thermal decomposition.

[Bayard]

1. Excellent!

[Jit423]

2. We are wasting time while China drives a wooden stake through our economic vampire heart. nt