Biomass waste utilisation in low-carbon products: harnessing a major potential resource

Abstract The increasing demand for food and other basic resources from a growing population has resulted in the intensification of agricultural and industrial activities. The wastes generated from agriculture are a burgeoning problem, as their disposal, utilisation and management practices are not efficient or universally applied. Particularly in developing countries, most biomass residues are left in the field to decompose or are burned in the open, resulting in significant environmental impacts. Similarly, with rapid global urbanisation and the rising demand for construction products, alternative sustainable energy sources and raw material supplies are required. Biomass wastes are an under-utilised source of material (for both energy and material generation), and to date, there has been little activity focussing on a ‘low-carbon’ route for their valorisation. Thus, the present paper attempts to address this by reviewing the global availability of biomass wastes and their potential for use as a feedstock for the manufacture of high-volume construction materials. Although targeted at practitioners in the field of sustainable biomass waste management, this work may also be of interest to those active in the field of carbon emission reductions. We summarise the potential of mitigating CO2 in a mineralisation step involving biomass residues, and the implications for CO2 capture and utilisation (CCU) to produce construction products from both solid and gaseous wastes. This work contributes to the development of sustainable value-added lower embodied carbon products from solid waste. The approach will offer reduced carbon emissions and lower pressure on natural resources (virgin stone, soil etc.).