Proposal to use industrial waste, nuke power for eco-friendly cement

Cement manufacturing accounts for roughly 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions.

To address this, N. Bhanumathidas and N. Kalidas, founding directors of the Visakhapatnam-based Institute for Solid Waste Research and Ecological Balance (INSWAREB), have come up with a global action plan proposing a radical shift: replacing fossil fuels with thermal plasma powered by clean nuclear energy.

Traditional production relies on coal combustion and high-purity limestone inside rotary kilns, generating extreme heat and massive carbon, sulphur, and fly ash emissions.

These researchers propose utilising thermal plasma torches – superheated ionised gases reaching 3,000°C-10,000°C – to achieve clinkerisation without burning fossil fuels.

Because industrial plasma requires massive electrical inputs, the proposal pairs it with Small Modular Reactors (SMRs). Unlike coal plants with shorter lifespans and heavy flue emissions, nuclear options offer clean, stable, and long-term energy. Just a fraction of radioactive material fulfils multi-megawatt industrial needs with zero combustion pollution.