Bricks from garbage. Manufacture of bricks from garbage - a business that makes the planet cleaner Elephant dung stationery

12.03.2020

More than 80 billion tons of solid waste have accumulated in Russia.

Waste is money, not a problem

We are accustomed to living, mindlessly believing that the air will always be clean, and the water in the tap will always be drinkable without harm to health. We take out the garbage in containers or just throw it on the sidewalks (and sometimes on the lawns), naively believing that all this plastic, glass, paper, metals, rags - all this will disappear somewhere by itself.

Indeed, many household waste - wood, textiles, grass, leaves - are recycled by microorganisms. However, man in the course of his development has created many synthetic chemicals that are not found in nature and, therefore, are not capable of undergoing natural decomposition. Plastic, for example, currently accounts for up to 8% by weight and 30% by volume of packaging materials. At the same time, the absolute amount of plastic waste in developed countries is doubling every ten years. In addition to plastic, more than 10,000 new chemicals are synthesized every year in the world, and most of them, after they are no longer needed, can have an adverse effect on nature for many years. Unfortunately, manufacturers, having created a new product, are not responsible for what will happen to it after it has served its time (V. Bylinsky. Garbage catastrophe / World of news. - January, 2005. No. 2 (576)).

If we talk about Russia as a whole, then every year about 7 billion tons of all types of waste are generated in the country. By now, about 80 billion tons of municipal solid waste have already been accumulated. And according to experts, in 2.5 years the volume of garbage generated in large cities can double.

Of the total waste mass, about 9 million tons of waste paper, 1.5 million tons of ferrous and non-ferrous metals, 2 million tons of polymer materials, 10 million tons of food waste, 0.5 million tons of glass are buried annually in the country ... In other words, waste is destroyed , which are potential secondary raw materials (paper, glass, metal, polymers, textiles, etc.) In this sense, the garbage heap can and should be considered as a kind of "gold mine", because waste is a unique resource in its multicomponent composition, continuity and stability of reproduction . The owners of this resource (megacities, cities with a small population, urban-type settlements, etc.) have the right to dispose of it at their own discretion: either, if possible, make a profit, or incur losses from inept management.

And you can use this resource in different ways. For example, the zealous Japanese not only recycle up to 80% of the generated waste, but also the “tails” (non-recyclable part of the waste) remaining after processing also find useful use. In order to win back the much-needed land from the ocean, Japan uses compacted garbage to build dams. So, Odaiba is actually a "garbage" island. The second (less famous, but no less beautiful) of the "garbage" islands is Tennozu. By the way, if Odaiba is known in Japan as a place for romantic dates, then Tennozu is the place of residence of the wealthy metropolitan public.

Photo 1. "Garbage" islands of Japan.

In Russia, against the backdrop of a generally undeveloped waste management system, the Moscow waste management system is perhaps one of the best today. It is difficult to name any technology known in the world for working with solid waste, which would not be used in one form or another in the capital. But it is especially pleasing that today the city government is confidently heading for the systematic industrial processing of municipal waste.

However, the trend of a forced sharp decrease in the resource of landfill waste was determined. In this regard, technologies are of particular relevance, as a result of which it becomes possible to significantly reduce the load on landfills, and moreover, to make them environmentally friendly. Modern technical solutions also allow to solve this problem.

Technological principles of waste management

All used modern integrated municipal waste management systems traditionally consist of the following main blocks that perform the following main functions:

waste collection (mainly container sites);
transportation of waste to sorting sites (traditional garbage trucks);
sorting with the separation of useful fractions (secondary material resources) and their subsequent direction for industrial processing;
neutralization of useless residues ("tails") and their burial in landfills or incineration in waste incineration plants with subsequent burial of slag and ash.

In accordance with the concept of waste management being implemented, for example, in Moscow, in principle, only that which cannot (or is currently unprofitable) to be recycled is subject to incineration. Burying at landfills should only be that which cannot be burned.

The proposed integrated municipal waste management system (see SDW No. 9, 10, 2007, No. 1, 2008) involves the use of investment-attractive technological and organizational solutions. At the same time, the use of efficient technologies makes it possible to actually organize the selective collection of household waste, adapted to Russian conditions. The sample of secondary resources reaches 50% of the volume of all MSW produced in the served area, the volume of "tails" removed for disposal is several times reduced.

The use of the principle of waste sorting in close proximity to the source of their formation also makes it possible to receive and send, including for incineration, waste with a given morphological composition. This will optimize the operation of waste incinerators.

An additional effect may be the use of a new technology for processing the remaining "tails" into environmentally friendly (for example, building) materials. A similar technology and technical means for its implementation were developed by City Waste Technology (Germany) and are used in the city of Manila (Philippines).

To implement this process in the traditional scheme of a waste sorting plant, three new blocks should be used instead of the final section for pressing "tails" for disposal in landfills. These blocks provide their mechanical processing (grinding), chemical processing and production of final products.

In the mechanical processing unit, preliminary and secondary grinding of the “tails” of MSW, KGM and construction waste takes place.

When such a technological process is provided at a waste sorting plant with a capacity of, for example, 100 tons per day, preliminary shredding of waste occurs using a low-speed shredder with a rotation speed of 23 rpm with a throughput of about 12.5 t/h. At the output, materials with a size of about 250 mm are obtained. Subsequent secondary grinding makes it possible to obtain fractions of 15-20 mm in size. For this, a high-speed shredder with a rotation speed of 240 rpm is used. with a throughput of about 6.5 t/h. Crushing of construction waste is carried out by a crusher with a capacity of 100-350 t/h. The fine organic fraction is separated using a drum sieve (capacity approx. 6.5 t/h).

Photo 2. Treatment of crushed waste in the reactor

Chemical treatment of the obtained material allows its neutralization, disinfection (destruction of bacteria, fungi, etc.), neutralization and immobilization of heavy metals. The process itself takes place in a special step-type reactor (capacity - 3,000 l / step) using a vortex-type planetary mixer. In the reactor, the crushed material to be processed is mixed with special chemical ingredients, as a result of which it is chemically processed. The chemical ingredients are supplied to the reactor from a compact unit, where the mixing, storage and dosing of reagents is carried out.

Photo 3. Neutralized "tails" of MSW - aggregate for concrete

Completely neutralized in this way, the material already as a raw material for the production of building materials enters the production unit, where it is mixed with cement and various inert additives. As the main components of the block, a loading unit with a bucket lift, radial and planetary mixers can be used. After molding, building materials are obtained.

Photo 4. The production process of "garbage concrete"

This technology makes it possible to obtain up to 800 tons of building materials from 1,000 tons of waste, the range of which can include up to 200 items (building blocks, panels, road tiles, bricks, concrete pipes, tiles, etc.).

The type and quality of concrete products depend on:

morphological composition of the waste (in this case, "tails");
type and quantity of inert additives (sand, gravel, recycled building materials);
type of cement, its quantity and quality;
cement additives (plasticizers, accelerators, hardeners);
used production equipment, machinery and equipment.

Photo 5. Building materials obtained as a result of MSW processing

At present, the first samples of building materials made according to the technology described above have been received and tested in Moscow. Specifications for solid waste aggregates and specific types of products using them, as well as technological regulations for the manufacture of building materials and products using solid waste aggregates, have been developed and are being developed.

The Federal Service for Supervision of Consumer Rights Protection and Human Welfare issued positive sanitary and epidemiological conclusions (No. d.) for compliance with state sanitary and epidemiological rules and regulations of the following project documentation and products:

TU 5712-072-00369171-06 "Fillers from municipal solid waste for concrete";
TU 5742-073-00369171-06 "Concrete on aggregate from municipal solid waste";
aggregates from municipal solid waste for concrete, made according to TU 5712-072-00369171-06;
concrete on aggregate from municipal solid waste, made according to TU 5742-073-00369171-06.

Photo 6. Russian-made concrete with solid waste aggregates.

As a result of the introduction of the entire technological complex under consideration, almost 100% processing of the flow of all waste generated in the service area is ensured into secondary raw materials and building materials - environmentally safe liquid goods.

The resulting materials are suitable not only for construction work, but also for the reclamation of old landfills. The release of filtrate entering wastewater is reduced, greenhouse gas emissions are reduced. When the resulting concrete blocks are removed (with the maximum use of household waste as fillers) to new landfills, the emission of landfill gas is generally reduced to zero. Accordingly, the use of all recycled “tailings” in construction can generally be reduced to zero, which will lead to a significant improvement in the environmental situation in our country.

The project is characterized by financial efficiency and relatively low (compared to other waste treatment technologies) level of required investments.

In recent years, large industrial enterprises have often been blamed for the damage they cause to the environment. Apparently, therefore, now more and more business ideas have begun to appear, in which mass production is combined with benefits for the environmental situation on the planet. One of these business ideas can be called the manufacture of building materials from the waste of other industries, and simply speaking from the garbage.

Let's look at one of the already existing types of production of such building materials - bricks and blocks from recycled materials.

How can you use "garbage" for the production of bricks

I would like to note right away that all examples of the production of bricks and blocks from the waste of various industrial productions are at the start-up level. But all these are more than promising projects, each of which can grow into a highly profitable business.

And immediately I want to consider why such a business has great prospects:

Cheap raw materials. What will become the raw material for the manufacture of your products is considered by other manufacturers as waste that needs to be disposed of, spending their own resources on it. Offer such businessmen or municipal organizations waste disposal services, and you will provide yourself with cheap raw materials.
Opportunity to win tenders. If you have to participate in tenders to start a business, then it will be on your side that with your production you will improve the environmental situation in the region and provide the market with affordable building materials.
Wide target audience. The building materials produced by you will be of interest for low-rise construction, the creation of sewer systems, the construction of workshops and industrial premises, etc. Demand will be provided at an affordable price, which is 10-15% lower than traditional building materials.

The prospects are great. Now let's look at how they are already being implemented in practice.

Examples of brick production from recycled waste

Now consider several options for using waste for the production of bricks:

Brick from boiler ash

This technology was developed at the University of Massachusetts, proved to be successful, and is now being implemented in construction work in the Indian city of Muzaffarnagar. Ash from the boiler house (70%) is used as raw material, to which clay and lime are added. Prior to this, boiler ash was simply buried in the ground. And now it can cost comfortable housing.

Building waste blocks

The following example refers to the manufacture of wall blocks, not bricks. Production was organized in Vladivostok, where a plant for the production of building materials from construction and industrial waste was created. All these wastes are fed into a shredder, crushed, turned into a homogeneous mass, after which blocks are formed from them for the construction of buildings.

Paper bricks.

The last example is still under development. From paper production waste and clay, a mass is created from which bricks are formed, then fired in a kiln. The technology was developed at the University of Jaen, and according to the reports of their researchers, this material can be used to create reliable low-rise energy-efficient houses. True, such bricks have a lower strength than traditional ones, which requires additional solutions in reinforcing the walls of the future building.

The business idea of making bricks from waste is an industry that requires exploratory courage, technical savvy and entrepreneurial genius. But if you manage to implement such a project, then you can take a dominant position in an emerging market. And if you prefer a fully developed production of building materials, then it makes sense to do

production of foam concrete blocks and other traditional wall materials. If you liked this material, then share it with your friends - perhaps it will be useful to them too.

Fired clay bricks, with their ever-increasing production, have a number of negative environmental and social impacts. Students at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have created a brick that is 70% boiler ash and does not need to be fired.

The rapid growth of construction in developing countries leads to an increase in the production of bricks, as one of the most affordable materials for building construction. This in turn creates 2 problems:

and environmental pollution during firing
the extraction of clay for this brick leads to the processing of fertile soil, or rather to its destruction on a large scale

"Clay bricks are fired at 1,000 degrees Celsius," says Michael Laracy, a graduate student who worked on the project. “They consume a huge amount of energy from coal, in addition to the fact that these bricks are produced entirely from the topsoil, so they deplete the amount of land suitable for farming.”

So Michael proposed to solve both problems by recycling industrial waste into building materials.
Eco BLAC brick consists of 70% boiler ash from paper mills mixed with sodium hydroxide, lime and a small amount of clay. It is produced at room temperature using "Alkaline Activation Technology" to ensure its durability.

“Currently, this ash has no practical use due to the variability of its physical and chemical properties, and it is very costly to send it to landfills, both for the environment and for breeders. For this reason, we see an opportunity in creating a robust design that can account for these variability through alkaline-activation technology.”

Ash brick turned out to be a very practical and scalable solution for the whole of India, where, in fact, this experiment was carried out.
Eco-BLAC was awarded a $100,000 grant as a finalist in the MIT 2015 competition and was named one of the best innovations of 2015 by Mashable.

A hundred years ago, the word "brick" did not cause a variety of definitions. Brick was called, in a modern way, a product made of baked clay. These are the old and good building material, which is still considered the most reliable and "noble". In the 20th century, the meaning of this word expanded significantly, because a variety of bricks began to appear. For example, white silicate brick based on quartz sand and lime. In Soviet times, such material was used very widely. It did not require high temperatures for production, and therefore was cheaper. True, the consumer perceived it as a kind of "ersatz", a kind of "plebeian" replacement for normal ceramic bricks. And this is despite the fact that in low-rise construction, the new material has proven itself well. He was quite strong and reliable. But, unfortunately, "not friendly" with fire and water.

The development of modern technology has gradually led to the fact that different types of bricks began to appear as if from a cornucopia. In principle, any rectangular product that could be lifted with one hand began to be called a “brick”.

Some craftsmen manage to make "bricks" out of sand and cement - without any autoclaving. Special molds are used for this. Once - and you're done! For individual construction, this method is not so bad. You can organize such a mini-production in your yard and make such “bricks” alone. Then lay out the wall alone. A glance is simple!

But still, as we understand it, normal material should be produced at enterprises, and not in a handicraft way. And here the issues of economy are already important. Ceramic brick - with all its advantages - is still a costly material. There is no talk of mass application these days, no matter how the consumer treats it. About five years ago, calculations were made in our region, which showed that the cost of a brick house would be at the level of 40 thousand rubles per square meter. That is, no "economy class" of brick is possible. Of course, there are a variety of combined options, with the use of heaters: "layered" masonry, "well" masonry. But, as we understand, this is not the same at all. "Nobility" here is already imaginary, for appearances. And the reliability of such structures in general raises serious doubts.

Some manufacturers, meeting consumer demands, specialize in the production of porous and hollow bricks that do not require additional insulation. But even builders have complaints about such material. Its strength is less, and in addition there is a vulnerability to moisture.

From the point of view of construction, the main advantage of a brick is precisely in the reliability of such a design and the relative ease of installation, which does not require the use of any complex devices. After all, the technology of erecting brickwork has not practically changed for thousands of years, since the time of King Nebuchadnezzar. That is why it is usually attractive to individual developers, that, having mastered some skills in laying bricks on a mortar, you can lay out a wall yourself.

In our country, where there are a lot of "handy" men, citizens on their plots would build plenty of houses and other buildings for themselves if there were plenty of this material at hand - reliable and, most importantly, inexpensive. However, here one with the other - reliability and cheapness - do not grow together in any way.

A good ceramic brick for the average Russian is expensive in any case. I would like to sometimes bungled something, but it's expensive. We have to look for a cheap replacement. And a cheap replacement, as we understand it, is not reliable.

However, progress does not stand still. In many countries, attention is now being paid to waste from industrial and energy enterprises as a source of raw materials for the production of inexpensive materials. For example, in the United States, about eight years ago, they developed a technology for the production of so-called "green" bricks from ash and ash. In terms of its properties, it is in no way inferior to ceramic bricks - it is just as durable and reliable, it can endure both heat and cold without any problems. But at the same time - several times cheaper. In addition, the mass production of "green" bricks makes it possible to profitably dispose of industrial waste, of which 50 million tons are accumulated annually in this country.

There is nothing new here, of course. It's just that the era dictates its conditions. Manufacturers are usually conservative in such matters. The use of recycled materials is perceived as something secondary and "unclean". Digging through the waste, it seems, is not a "master's business." That is, this problem, first of all, is not technological, but psychological. Usually the waste was used as an additive for road construction. Now the question is raised about how to produce specific products on their basis. And it must be assumed that time works for this approach. After all, for the mass production of "green" bricks, you do not need to dig a quarry. On the contrary, such production makes it possible to cleanse nature of rubbish.

The same trend is observed in our country. Ashes and slags were used in road construction even in Soviet times. And materials such as cinder blocks and cinder concrete are very well known to our consumers. True, their production to this day is of a semi-handicraft character.

A "serious" producer works, as before, with the material that is extracted in quarries. But in any case, time will take its toll. In Omsk, for example, they have already begun to produce "green" bricks from the ashes and slags of the thermal power plant. A very telling precedent.

To consolidate this trend, it is necessary that science has its own weighty word on this issue. It should be noted that the Institute of Solid State Chemistry and Mechanochemistry of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences has been eyeing industrial waste for a long time. For example, the rubble of the metallurgical enterprises of Kuzbass is generally considered by the Institute's specialists as a "Klondike" for our construction industry. In particular, samples of refractory bricks with a density of 2 G/CM3 and linear dimensions: 380X130X120 were obtained from metallurgical scrap using a silicate binder. According to Vladimir Poluboyarov, a leading specialist of the Institute, industrial waste is quite suitable for the production of inexpensive bricks and even decorative tiles (“artificial granite”).

The resulting brick is not inferior in strength to ceramic bricks and is just as reliable in operation. It will, of course, be cheaper. Savings are achieved mainly due to the fact that the production of such bricks does not require high temperatures. 300 degrees Celsius is enough to get a product with acceptable strength characteristics. While for firing ceramic bricks it is necessary to “ensure” at least 900 degrees Celsius. Note that in our time, energy costs are one of the main items of production costs. And these costs will certainly only grow. In this regard, traditional ceramic bricks should be perceived as a "relic of the past." And the fate of numerous brick enterprises, by and large, is a foregone conclusion - as energy prices rise, nothing good shines for them. A new, more progressive, in any case, will make its way. According to Vladimir Poluboyarov, if the technology proposed by the Institute were widely used, we would get a “penny” building material that is in no way inferior to “noble” brick.

It is clear that investors who have invested a lot of money in brick production (and there are already at least 15 brick factories in the NSO) would not be happy at all with such competition. At the same time, we do not think that the Russian consumer is so spoiled that he would perceive the "green" brick (we will use this term) with skepticism and distrust. Well, if in the provinces citizens build their own houses and garages from substandard (it's cheaper), then a solid inexpensive material would be received positively. There is no doubt here. Scientists are ready to contribute to this process. It's up to the manufacturers. Technically, nothing prevents the installation of automated lines in production that works with

Production of bricks from garbage as a business

Let's look at one of the already existing types of production of such building materials - bricks and blocks from recycled materials.

How can "garbage" be used to make bricks?

And immediately I want to consider why such a business has great prospects:

Cheap raw materials. What will become the raw material for the manufacture of your products is considered by other manufacturers as waste that needs to be disposed of, spending their own resources on it. Offer such businessmen or municipal organizations waste disposal services, and you will provide yourself with cheap raw materials.

Opportunity to win tenders. If you have to participate in tenders to start a business, then it will be on your side that with your production you will improve the environmental situation in the region and provide the market with affordable building materials.

Wide target audience. The building materials produced by you will be of interest for low-rise construction, the creation of sewer systems, the construction of workshops and industrial premises, etc. Demand will be provided at an affordable price, which is 10-15% lower than traditional building materials.

The prospects are great. Now let's look at how they are already being implemented in practice.

Examples of brick production from recycled waste:

Now consider several options for using waste for the production of bricks:

- Brick from boiler ash

– Building waste blocks

- Paper bricks