Utilization of Incinerated Municipal Solid Waste Ash in the Manufacture of Cement Hollow Bricks

There is a strong demand for environmentally safe reuse and effective disposal methods for Municipal solid waste (MSW) due to the increasing amount of waste generated by the various residential buildings, commercial establishments and various other institutions. MSW refers to the stream of garbage collected through community sanitation services. Medical wastes from hospitals and items that can be recycled and utilized for generating electricity are generally excluded from MSW. The major portion of MSW that is not recycled is typically sent to landfills after it is collected. As an alternative, MSW can be combusted in waste-to-energy combustors, which facilitates to generate electricity. The combustion of municipal solid waste results in reduction of its quantity. MSW combustion creates a solid waste called ash, which can contain any of the elements which were originally present in the waste. Using it as an engineering construction material attains the ultimate disposal of incinerated solid waste ash. The incorporation of municipal solid waste ash in the manufacturing of cement hollow bricks has been systematically investigated. The effect of proportion of incinerated municipal solid waste (ash) on the strength and quality of the brick has been investigated. The use of incinerated municipal solid waste as construction material and building material converts the waste into useful products that can alleviate the disposal problems. The present work has demonstrated a feasible way of using incinerated municipal solid waste ash as a cement replacement material to produce quality bricks. The bricks manufactured did not show any deformation or uneven surfaces and the bricks can be used for construction purposes.