Circular Economy in Practice: A Literature Review and Case Study of Phosphogypsum Use in Cement

Abstract

The utilization of waste generated from industrial production is a burden to overcome for society to reach a circular economy. Usually, production waste is associated with low-quality materials compared to its natural counterparts. In some cases, high-purity materials are generated, while different hazardous substances such as heavy metals, radioactive elements, or organic chemical substances are pollutants that often limit the materials’ further application. One such material that has accumulated for decades is phosphogypsum (PG). The extraction of fertilizers from metamorphous rocks results in large quantities of PG. Until now, PG has been deposited in large stockpiles near the production plant, causing problems for the environment in the surrounding area. However, the chemical composition of PG places it as a high-purity artificial gypsum material, which means that it could be used as a substitution or supplementary material in gypsum-based material production. The concerns, with respect to both legislation and prevailing prejudices in society, about its impurities strongly limit its application. This manuscript reviews current research practices for the effective use of PG and analyzes the importance of the circular economy. A life cycle assessment of current state-of-the-art technologies regarding PG application is proposed.