In Russia, they propose to radically change the attitude towards ash and slag waste (ASW), turning it from an environmental problem into a valuable resource. The initiative was discussed at a meeting of the Scientific and Technical Council of the Russian Environmental Operator.
Deputy Minister of Natural Resources Denis Butsaev said that ash dumps should be considered as man-made deposits. This will not only reduce the extraction of natural materials, but also strengthen regional markets for recyclable materials. Recycling waste directly at the point of generation will reduce the burden on the environment and increase the efficiency of its use.
Every year in Russia 25–30 million tons of ash and slag are generated, and their total volume has already exceeded 1.5 billion tons. By 2030, this figure could reach 2 billion. However, today only about 10% of waste is recycled, while in Europe and China this figure reaches 80–98%.
Experts suggest several ways to use ash and slag:
- Production of building materials (concrete, brick, road surfaces).
- Extracting valuable metals, including rare ones (germanium, platinum group metals).
- Creation of inert mixtures to eliminate industrial accidents.
To successfully implement these ideas, it is necessary to consolidate new standards in regional strategies for the development of a circular economy. In particular, it is proposed to introduce standards for the mandatory use of ASW in construction and other industries.
Recommendations developed at the meeting will help regions introduce modern approaches to waste processing. This will not only reduce environmental risks, but also open up new economic opportunities.
Thus, rethinking the role of ash dumps can be an important step towards sustainable development and reducing harmful impacts on nature.
The material was prepared with the support of the Russian Ministry of Education and Science as part of the Decade of Science and Technology
Source: @dprom
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