Review of the Reuse Possibilities Concerning Ash Residues from Thermal Process in a Medium-Sized Urban System in Northern Italy

Ahmad Assi, Fabjola Bilo, Alessandra Zanoletti, Jessica Ponti, Andrea Valsesia, Rita La Spina, Laura E. Depero and Elza Bontempi
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Ahmad Assi: INSTM and Chemistry for Technologies Laboratory, Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Brescia, 25123 Brescia, Italy
Fabjola Bilo: INSTM and Chemistry for Technologies Laboratory, Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Brescia, 25123 Brescia, Italy
Alessandra Zanoletti: INSTM and Chemistry for Technologies Laboratory, Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Brescia, 25123 Brescia, Italy
Jessica Ponti: European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), 21027 Ispra, Italy
Andrea Valsesia: European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), 21027 Ispra, Italy
Rita La Spina: European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), 21027 Ispra, Italy
Laura E. Depero: INSTM and Chemistry for Technologies Laboratory, Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Brescia, 25123 Brescia, Italy
Elza Bontempi: INSTM and Chemistry for Technologies Laboratory, Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Brescia, 25123 Brescia, Italy

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 10, 1-21

Abstract: This review paper reports a detailed characterization of some combustion or incineration residues and by-products produced in a medium-sized city in Northern Italy. The municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) generates fly ash, which is a toxic waste. Coal fly ash (CFA) and flue gas desulfurization (FGD) derive from the thermoelectric coal plant located in the same city. Along with these ashes, silica fume and rice husk ash are also considered for the stabilization of fly ash based on their amorphous silica content with the aim to convert them into an inert material. The characterization of all the investigated ashes was performed using different techniques: X-ray diffraction, total reflection X-ray fluorescence, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. The aim of this work is to describe the reuse possibilities that were proposed for these ashes, which were determined also on the basis of their structural properties. Several possible applications of the investigated ashes are proposed, and the most suitable reuse of stabilized fly ash samples seems to be the production of sustainable plastic composites. This paper shows that the reuse of the by-product materials can allow natural resources to be preserved following the principles of a circular economy.

Keywords: fly ash; bottom ash; silica fume; coal fly ash; flue gas desulfurization; rice husk ash; stabilized sample; circular economy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:10:p:4193-:d:360687

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