U.K. Studies Waste Encapsulation in New Eco-Friendly Cement
The University of Sheffield announced a new research aimed at addressing some of the challenges of nuclear waste encapsulation by looking at new cement technologies to provide safe and reliable disposal solutions. The project will be implemented in partnership with the Sellafield Ltd., the U.K. Nuclear Decommissioning Authority and the U.K. National Nuclear Laboratory.
The project will explore how different characteristics and amounts of limestone calcined clay cement can be used to produce the best-performing cements for encapsulating nuclear waste. The limestone calcined clay cement is considered a new promising type of cement produced using naturally abundant limestone and clay materials and is a more environmentally friendly alternative to traditional Portland cement because of its reduced carbon dioxide emissions during production.
According to the University of Sheffield, the research will help to understand how the cement behaves, forming the groundwork for using the new material for encapsulating and safety storing and disposing of nuclear waste. It will also contribute to further development and implementation at Sellafield Ltd.