The Hidden Power of Waste in Fighting Climate Change

Waste materials are often seen as a problem. However, they can be a solution. They can help fight climate change. This is what a recent study shows. The study looked at different waste materials. These materials can capture carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide is a big part of landfill gas. This gas comes from trash in landfills. It is mostly methane and carbon dioxide. The study tested four types of waste. These are concrete waste fines, class C fly ash, grade 100 slag cement, and cement kiln dust. The goal was to see if they can capture carbon dioxide. The results were surprising. Cement kiln dust captured the most carbon dioxide. It captured 225. 1 milligrams per gram. This was more than the other materials. Concrete waste fines captured the least. It captured 66. 4 milligrams per gram. The study also tested these materials in a real-world setting. They used columns with a continuous flow of landfill gas. Cement kiln dust again performed the best. It captured 134. 1 milligrams per gram. This was more than the other materials. However, cement kiln dust has a problem. It does not allow water to pass through easily. This could be an issue in a landfill cover. So, it might need to be mixed with other materials. Or it could be used in a different way. The findings are important. They show that waste materials can help capture carbon dioxide. This can reduce greenhouse gases. It can also make waste management more sustainable. The study suggests that these materials could be used in biogeochemical covers. These covers are used on landfills to capture gases. Using waste materials in these covers could make them more effective. It could also make them more scalable. This means they could be used on a larger scale. However, there are challenges. The study shows that cement kiln dust is the best at capturing carbon dioxide. But, its low hydraulic conductivity is a concern. This means it does not allow water to pass through easily. This could be a problem in a landfill cover. So, more research is needed. The goal is to find the best way to use these materials. This could involve mixing them with other materials. Or it could involve using them in a different way. In conclusion, waste materials have a hidden power. They can help fight climate change. They can capture carbon dioxide from landfill gas. This can reduce greenhouse gases. It can also make waste management more sustainable. However, there are challenges. More research is needed to find the best way to use these materials. But, the potential is there. Waste materials could play a big role in fighting climate change.