Abstract
In Europe there are nearly 500 incinerators. There are over 2000 of them in the world. It is estimated that the combustion of 1 ton (Mg) of waste produces about 250–300 kg of slag. Due to the large amounts of this waste, the construction industry’s demand for raw materials and the reduction of CO2 emissions, research was undertaken to use slags as a cement component. The problem was complex because slags generated in the thermal treatment of municipal waste have different chemical compositions and physical properties and contain variable amounts of impurities. The choice of chemical analyses of slag was dictated by the potential influence on the properties of cement mortars. The total moisture of raw slag (4–10%), the bulk density (600–1267 kg/m3) and the specific surface after grinding (over 3000 cm2/g) were determined. The pH (11.9) and the content of sulphates (3.5% by weight), chlorides (0.3% by weight) and selected heavy metals (Cd, Cu, Fe, Mn, Zn, Pb) were measured in the aqueous extract. The obtained results of the washing test were compared with the values resulting from the currently binding legal regulations. In the next step, cement mortars with 30% addition of tested slags were designed and made. The article presents the results of compressive strength tests, which were compared with the results of samples without the addition of slag. The addition of slag to the cement mortar decreased S_MSWI 1 by 64% and S_MSWI 2 by 31%. The high loss of strength and the swelling of the S_MSWI 1 test led to the activation of the NaOH slag. In the endurance test, an increase from 16 to 32 MPa was recorded. Preliminary studies show that the addition of slag in the cement mortar allows obtaining the strength at the level of 30–32 MPa.
Highlights
The generation of municipal solid waste (MSW) is inextricably linked with the everyday existence of a human being
The absolute humidity of slag municipal solid waste incinerators (MSWIs) 1 was high, equal to 10%, while the moisture content in the sample slag MSWI 2 was of the order of 4.5%; these values are much higher than recommended in the standard (≤1.0%) [19]
Pera et al [12] applied this method before using MSWI waste in concrete
Summary
The generation of municipal solid waste (MSW) is inextricably linked with the everyday existence of a human being. An increase in the stream of MSW is observed. In 2019, 225 million Mg of MSW was generated in the EU–27 [1], corresponding to 512 kg per capita, increasing 3.3% compared to 2018. The amount of MSW per capita in individual countries varies significantly, from 280 kg per capita inhabitant in Romania to 844 kg per inhabitant in Denmark [1]. In Poland, 336 kg was produced per capita in 2019. While Poland is in the group of countries with the lowest rates, it does not change that we are becoming a more and more consumption and waste based society [2]
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