With net zero carbon emissions becoming a crucial policy for countries worldwide, National Development Council (NDC) announced the Net Zero Emissions Roadmap and 12 key strategies in March 2022. These strategies serve as a collective direction for various sectors to shift from carbon reduction and low-carbon practices towards sustainable net-zero goals. Among these strategies, "zero waste in resource circulation" related to waste management has been recognized as one of the pivotal strategies. The primary approach involves "waste-to-energy conversion," "enhancing sustainable resource circulation," and "connecting upstream, midstream, and downstream industries to create a resource supply chain." These initiatives aim to promote waste management measures aligned with the net-zero emissions objectives.
Hence, this project utilizes low-carbon emission technologies such as "geopolymeric technology " to develop recycling materials and application products using three inorganic resources with disposal issues: "EAF reduction slag" generated from the steel industry, "co-fired ash" from waste-to-energy incineration, and "washing aggregate sludge" from the wastewater treatment facility of sand and gravel fragmentation and washing plant.
Key points of this project include:
1. Gain an understanding of the current operational status and major recycling technologies for three inorganic resources, summarize the challenges faced, and propose technical strategies.
2. Sample and analyze the composition characteristics and environmental safety of three inorganic resources. Develop material compositions and conduct specimen trials in the laboratory by using these resources. Establish the optimal ratios and, through testing and analysis, grasp the characteristics, limitations, and potential application for these materials.
3. Produce four priority products by using inorganic recycling materials in the laboratory, including non-structural concrete, controlled low-strength material (CLSM), artificial aggregates, and Compressed concrete paving units. Determine the feasibility of their applications through product quality testing, and gather information on related raw material usage, pricing, process equipment, quality control requirements, carbon footprint, etc. Evaluate the potential and benefits of the four products.
4. Facilitate collaboration between three inorganic resource source businesses and reuse organizations, providing guidance on applying for trial plans. Complete waste characterization, establishment of acceptance standards, planning of transportation routes and methods, operational procedures, product quality standards, handling of derived waste, and product sales planning. Gradually implement the promotion of technology in actual production.
5. In response to the demand for the removal of bentonite with stabilizing agents, conduct sampling, analyze component characteristics, and assess the feasibility of using inorganic geopolymeric technology.
