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Waste that would otherwise end up in a landfill could help low-carbon cement production by reducing the industry's reliance on fossil fuels, according to Adelaide University researchers. Ph.D. candidate Geethmi Thisakya, along with her supervisory team, Dr. Navodana Rodrigo, Dr. Chamitha Wijewickrama and professor George Zillante, have systematically reviewed global research on using refuse-derived fuel (RDF) in cement manufacturing, examining its potential to support cleaner industrial production and more sustainable waste management.

Cement is essential for buildings, roads and infrastructure but is also responsible for an estimated 8% of global carbon dioxide emissions. The industry relies heavily on coal and other fossil fuels to generate the extreme heat needed to produce cement. At the same time, large quantities of combustible waste, including materials that cannot be recycled, are sent to landfills.

Refuse-derived fuel is made by processing suitable waste into a fuel that can replace some conventional fossil fuels. Using it alongside traditional fuels in cement kilns is known as co-processing.

The researchers reviewed 211 scholarly articles published between 1991 and July 2025 and examined 48 in detail, including seven regulatory documents. Their findings, published in the International Journal of Building Pathology and Adaptation , show growing global interest in RDF as a way to address two environmental challenges at once: reducing waste sent to landfills and lowering dependence on fossil fuels in cement production.

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