Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of Refuse-Derived Fuel as a Partial Substitute for Coal in Cement Production: A Case Study in Valle del Cauca, Colombia

Abstract

Substitution of fossil fuels in cement kilns with refuse-derived fuels (RDF) has received widespread attention, driven by the need to reduce emissions and improve economic feasibility. Cement kiln installations in Colombia have reported the coprocessing of various waste streams in their operations. Yet, no information regarding the potential environmental benefits of incorporating an alternative fuel was found. Therefore, in this study, an LCA is developed for a hypothetical cement plant located in Valle del Cauca, Colombia, comparing the partial substitution of coal for RDF, in terms of potential reduction of environmental impacts, to the baseline scenario. Inventory results showed the main contributor to CO2 emissions is limestone decomposition. The LCA results showed a 6 % decrease in CO2 emissions in the process with partial substitution. Yet, other categories showed a reduction of approximately 20 %, consistent with the coal reduction percentage, indicating that substituting RDF for coal could reduce impacts from the cement industry.