Utilization of Waste Sludge as a Construction Material -A Review

Abstract

The waste sludge from water and sewage handling plants and numerous industries, has long been considered a problematic in environmental management. The surge in population growth and industrialization has increased the amount and harmfulness of the waste generated. Waste sludge disposal is a major problem in urban areas as it causes serious environmental impact. Till today burning harmful waste in landfills is one of the common methods of waste disposal, leading to serious health and environmental damage. Absence of proper set-up for systematic disposal and reprocessing of harmful waste has led to such waste disposal in India. Final waste management has been a growing concern for governments in recent years. Stringent environmental protocols and industrial evolution have augmented waste dumping requirements. Thousands of small and medium-sized enterprises simply dump their waste, which is often toxic and dangerous, in open areas and nearby water sources. Over the past three decades, many cases of serious and permanent damage to the environment by these industries have become significant. The recently a study was conducted by ASSOCHAM and PwC which approximates that nearly 75 lakh tons of hazardous waste is produced in India per annum. This much huge quantity of industrial waste requires enormous area at landfill disposal locations. But, due to inadequate availability of land area, there is an urgent requirement for alternative disposal methods. Due to the great demand placed on the building materials industry, civil engineers have been challenged to convert waste into construction materials. One last resort for this waste is the construction industry, where the greatest demand for raw materials can engross a lot of waste. This paper presents the different studies carried out to reuse the waste sludge in making different construction materials..