The valorization of contaminated waste glass to produce locally sourced, low-carbon cement at the Cemex Rugby cement plant

The rapid decommissioning of coal power plants in the UK has inadvertently created a supply chain crisis in the construction industry, as most cement and concrete producers use coal fly ash as a staple supplementary cementitious material (SCM) in cements. The lack of local SCMs from the coal power and steel industries has led to increased imports from mainland Europe and elsewhere, further exacerbating the carbon emissions associated with the UK construction industry.

Carbon Upcycling Technologies UK (CUT) is a subsidiary of Carbon Upcycling Technologies, an award-winning Canadian startup (e.g., Carbon X-Prize winner and Solar Impulse Efficient Solution Label owner) scaling a carbon utilization technology that can activate a range of abundantly available waste materials such as landfilled ash, glass, clays, and volcanic rocks to permanently store CO2 and produce reactive low carbon cements.

For this initiative, CUT will assemble a consortium primarily comprising partners from two pivotal foundation industries: the glass sector, represented by Glass Technology Services and MKD32, and the cement industry, represented by CEMEX. Together, this consortium aims to pioneer a circular economy solution, transforming local low-grade, contaminated glass cullets into high-performance Supplementary Cementitious Materials (SCMs).

The scope of this project has been refined to focus exclusively on proving that glass unsuitable for remelt can be upcycled into a cement-grade material through Carbon Upcycling Technologies (CUT) using the Mechanically Assisted Chemical Exfoliation (MACE) process. This proof of concept will establish the foundation for larger-scale commercial opportunities upon project completion.

By directly aligning with the UK's circular economy goals and supporting the nation's commitment to an 80% reduction in carbon emissions by 2050, this project plays a crucial role. Given that the infrastructure sector accounts for almost one-sixth of total emissions, its participation is instrumental in achieving national carbon reduction targets. Currently, low carbon cement and concrete are projected to contribute a 12% reduction toward reaching a net-zero emissions target.