Carbon footprint reduction through repurposing solid wastes into sustainable construction materials: A state-of-the-art review

Abstract

The rapid expansion of civil infrastructures has improved the quality of life but has also resulted in a significant increase in industrial solid wastes (ISWs), posing serious sustainability challenges, particularly for waste disposal. To address the challenges, this study investigated the state of the art and identified emerging innovations to utilize the ISWs associated with various industrial processes. Effective ISW utilization was noted to be not only vital for ecological sustainability and reducing greenhouse gas emissions but also for achieving substantial cost and resource savings, contributing to a circular economy. This review study examined industrial byproducts from various sectors, such as steel and metal production, silicon and ferrosilicon manufacturing processes, agriculture and biomass industries, coal combustion and incineration in power plants, construction, textile and plastic production, and renewable energy industries. Each byproduct was systematically assessed in terms of its contribution to waste generation and the strategies available to minimize its environmental impacts. Special emphasis was placed on the reuse and repurpose of ISWs, especially for their integration into the construction industry, where they can be transformed into valuable raw materials. The effects of these byproducts on the main properties of the most common construction materials, such as concrete, asphalt, fillers, aggregates, and fibers, were studied in detail. The study also examined the ISW management hierarchy and its role in enhancing landfill disposal techniques. This comprehensive review led to original insights to address various aspects of ISW utilization, with a particular focus on their sustainable repurposing for civil infrastructure applications.