Alkaline steel and cement wastewater could trap 30 million tons of CO2 yearly

Scientists at Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon found that alkaline wastewater from steel and cement plants can bind CO2 as bicarbonate.

Using CO2 to neutralize alkaline industrial wastewater can replace strong acids and store carbon in water.

The team estimates repurposing such wastewater worldwide could capture about 30 million tons of CO2 per year.

The method needs little extra energy, can fit existing systems, and operates on-site without large material transport.