Systems and methods of the present invention include a method for the treatment of drilling wastes and coal combustion residues, comprising combining at least a first drilling waste with coal combustion residues to form a paste, combining at least a second drilling waste with coal combustion residues to form a compactable fill, and placing the paste and the compactable fill in a landfill. Other embodiments include a method of treating drilling wastes and coal combustion residues, comprising combining at least one drilling waste with a coal combustion residue to form a paste. Further embodiments include containing the paste within at least one geotextile container. Still further embodiments include placing the geotextile container in a landfill.

A treatment method for coal fly ash, and in particular sodic fly ash, comprises 1) contacting the coal fly ash with anhydrite, and 2) contacting the coal fly ash in the presence of water with at least one additive. The material obtained from the contacting steps (1) and (2) may be dried. The steps (1) and (2) may be carried simultaneously or sequentially. The additive may comprise at least one component selected from the group consisting of strontium-containing compounds, barium-containing compounds, dolomite, a dolomite derivative such as calcined or hydrated dolomite, water-soluble sources of silicate such as sodium or potassium silicate, iron-containing compounds, and any combinations thereof. A particularly preferred additive comprises sodium silicate. The method may be effective in reducing the sodium content in the fly ash (Na.sub.2O), reducing the alkalinity of the fly ash, and/or stabilizing at least one heavy metal such as selenium and/or arsenic to reduce their leachability.

The present invention provides a bidirectional energy-transfer system comprising: a thermally and/or electrically conductive concrete, disposed in a structural object; a location of energy supply or demand that is physically isolated from, but in thermodynamic and/or electromagnetic communication with, the thermally and/or electrically conductive concrete; and a means of transferring energy between the structural object and the location of energy supply or demand. The system can be a single node in a neural network. The thermally and/or electrically conductive concrete includes a conductive, shock-absorbing material, such as graphite. Preferred compositions are disclosed for the thermally and/or electrically conductive concrete. The bidirectional energy-transfer system may be present in a solar-energy collection system, a grade beam, an indoor radiant flooring system, a structural wall or ceiling, a bridge, a roadway, a driveway, a parking lot, a commercial aviation runway, a military runway, a grain silo, or pavers, for example.

A method for processing incinerator bottom ash (IBA) comprises the steps of carbonating IBA aggregate material by CO2 sequestration and providing a stabilizing additive for mixing with the carbonated IBA aggregate material, wherein the additive comprises one or more components from group (b1) and one or more components from group (b2), wherein group (b1) consists of aluminium chloride and at least one other metal chloride, and wherein group (b2) consists of silica, zeolite and apatite. When the carbonated IBA and additive is mixed a stabilized IBA composition is formed, the stabilized IBA composition being suitable for use as a substitute for traditional aggregates in the manufacture of concrete and concrete products.

A PE waste material-based carbon-fixed aggregate with a wire mesh shell, and a preparation method of the PE waste material-based carbon-fixed aggregate are provided. The preparation method includes the following steps: S1, pretreatment of a PE material collected; S2, carbon fixation for a pumice to produce a carbon-fixed pumice; S3, preparation of a powder-adsorbed pumice; S4, high-temperature calcination to form a wire mesh shell skeleton; and S5, post-treatment. By providing the PE waste material-based carbon-fixed aggregate with the wire mesh shell and the preparation method of the PE waste material-based carbon-fixed aggregate, achieving the comprehensive and effective recycling of waste agricultural mulch films and drip irrigation belts while solving the problems that pervious concrete is susceptible to water erosion and aggregates have poor carbon fixation and sequestration effects.

A composite includes biochar and a base material including mine tailings. Preparing the composite includes combining a base material including mine tailings and an alkali activator to yield a mixture, polymerizing the mixture to yield a geopolymer material, and combining the geopolymer material and biochar to yield the composite.

Methods, compositions, and apparatuses are provided herein that utilize polystyrene from recycled products to make a high strength composite concrete that can be used for subgrade utility vaults, utility trenches, etc. Polystyrene is a widely-used plastic that can be collected and then densified at particular parameters including temperature to transform the polystyrene to a usable form. Then, the densified polystyrene is combined with other resin materials and dry materials to form a high-strength concrete material. The amount of densified polystyrene that is combined with the other materials is critical to control shrinkage and expansion of the concrete material during manufacturing.

A high-toughness magnesium-calcium binder mortar material from multi-component high-salinity solid waste and a preparation method thereof are provided. Raw materials of the high-toughness magnesium-calcium binder mortar material from multi-component high-salinity solid waste include a dry powder mortar material, a shrinkage reducing agent, a water reducing agent and fibers, where an addition amount of the fibers is 1.0-2.0% of a mass of the dry powder mortar material; where in parts by weight, the dry powder mortar material includes: 28-40 parts of aging mixture, 10-15 parts of industrial solid waste gypsum, 5-8 parts of light burned magnesium oxide, 2-5 parts of high alumina cement, 3-8 parts of rubber powder and 30-40 parts of artificial fine sand; and where in parts by weight, the aging mixture includes 50-70 parts of municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) fly ash and 30-50 parts of magnesite, as well as aluminum dihydrogen phosphate solution and phosphogypsum leachate.

The present invention relates to a method solidifying radioactive waste containing boron, The method includes (a) mixing the radioactive waste, metakaolin, fumed silica, potassium hydroxide, and water to generate a second mixture, in which the radioactive waste contains boron.