| Description : |
In response to growing environmental concerns and global sustainability efforts, regional industrial symbiosis
has emerged as a crucial strategy for enhancing resource efficiency and reducing the environmental impacts of production
processes. The concrete industry, being resource-intensive with significant environmental footprints, represents a prime
candidate for the application of such symbiotic approaches. By substituting general-purpose cement with treated alum sludge,
a by-product of drinking water purification, the sludge-derived green concrete has the potential to markedly lower its embodied
carbon. However, achieving widespread adoption necessitates a comprehensive evaluation of industrial symbiosis and logistic
optimisation to ensure eco-economic viability. This study explores critical aspects of alum sludge treatment and develops a
genetic algorithm (GA)-based tool to strengthen the symbiotic relationship between the water and concrete sectors, with a focus
on decarbonizing sludge-derived concrete while maximising its economic returns. Eight scenarios were assessed, highlighting the
environmental and economic advantages contributed by regional industrial symbiosis. Results show that pre-treating alum sludge at
water treatment plants can lead to a carbon reduction of up to 86.24%, alongside potential energy and cost savings of approximately
65.16% and 52.04%, respectively. When factoring in landfill cost avoidance, total savings could exceed 100%. For sludge-derived
concrete with a 10% cement substitution, energy savings and carbon reductions were recorded at 2.57% and 5.53%, respectively.
Furthermore, the GA-based tool effectively identified optimal treatment locations or the nearest drinking water treatment plants
based on market demand of sludge-derived concrete, thereby aligning environmental benefits with economic gains.
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