Carbon Upcycling Technologies has been awarded £2.3 million in funding from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). This will be the world’s first commercial-scale cement additive plant that combines CO2 sequestration and waste glass.

The pilot will sequester up to five tonnes of CO2 emissions per day produced from a post-consumer glass recycling facility, while simultaneously extending the lifetime of 50 tonnes of coloured glass waste. This translates to the project eliminating approximately 16,500 tonnes of local crushed glass from entering landfills, sequestering approximately 1,600 tonnes of carbon dioxide that would otherwise reach the atmosphere, and reducing over 15,000 tonnes of carbon emissions on a lifecycle basis through cement abatement.

The funding will support a consortium, led by Carbon Upcycling, including CEMEX, Glass Technology Services, Matthew Demon, President of British Glass (MKD32), and others in the glass and cement industries.

Carbon Upcycling will utilize its patented carbon utilization process to activate post-consumer coloured glass fines. Generally, this waste from glass is difficult to recycle cost-effectively. Sequestering CO2 emissions and producing high-performance supplementary cementitious materials for use in low-carbon concrete and blended cements will create a new generation of climate-resilient materials for infrastructure.

carbonupcycling.com

Image: Cabon Upcycling Technologies has been awarded funds to develop concrete additives from: landfilled ash, bottom ash; steel slag; crushed glass; and natural pozzolans.