Uses of alternative fuels and raw materials in the cement industry as sustainable waste management options

The proper use of alternative fuels and materials in the cement industry is essential for the planning and promotion of different methods that can decrease the environmental impacts, lower the consumption of energy and material resources, and reduce the economic costs of this industry. Because of the great potential for the cement industry to save energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), many new research advances associated with the promising approach of introducing waste materials as alternative fuels or sustainable raw materials into the cement manufacturing process have been developed in recent years. Therefore, the main objective of this paper is to provide a literature review of these approaches based on previously published research studies. The analysis is specially focused on the technical, economic, and environmental effects of the uses of five solid wastes, namely, municipal solid waste (MSW), meat and bone animal meal (MBM), sewage sludge (SS), biomass, and end-of-life tyres (ELT), in the cement industry. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.