Provision of Services for Research and Development of Green and Cost-effective Land Decontamination Method

Commissioned By:

Project Overview:

With the aim of reducing carbon emissions caused by construction and enhancing the cost-effectiveness of future land decontamination processes, CEDD commissioned BTRi with the support from The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) to explore the use of by-products and other green materials as stabilising agents to reduce the reliance on OPC for the remediation of soil contaminated by heavy metals and hydrocarbons. 

Key Achievement: 

The use of biochar is being explored as an emerging binder to reduce carbon footprint of land decontamination.  It offers advantages of cost efficiency, high metal and organic adsorption capacity, and environmental benefits such as carbon sequestration and waste recycling/reuse.  When combined with other industrial by-products like GGBS as a supplementary cementitious material, the mixture acquire strength and partially replace OPC to present a sustainable and cost-effective approach for land decontamination.

Note:

·         OPC – Ordinary Portland cement

·         Biochar – a carbon-rich material produced from biomass, e.g. by-products of yard waste

·         GGBS – ground granulated blast furnace slag, i.e. by-products of steel making process