Life cycle assessment of concrete manufacturing incorporating recycled waste glass powder as a pozzolanic cement substitute

Document Type : Original Research Paper

Authors

Graduate Faculty of Environment, University of Tehran, P.O.Box 1417853111, Tehran, Iran

10.22059/poll.2025.391003.2813

Abstract

Cement production is a leading source of global CO₂ emissions, while vast quantities of glass waste remain underutilized and are often sent to landfills. This study investigates the environmental potential of using finely ground waste glass powder (GP) as a partial pozzolanic substitute for cement in concrete. A cradle-to-gate Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) was conducted to compare conventional concrete with GP-enhanced concrete, using SimaPro 9.2 and Ecoinvent 3.2, and applying the IMPACT 2002+ method. Four scenarios were modeled to assess the effects of key variables, including extended service life, transportation distances, and emissions from the glass grinding process. To evaluate result robustness, Monte Carlo simulations (10,000 runs) and sensitivity analyses were performed. The results show that GP concrete consistently outperforms conventional concrete across all impact categories. The most notable reduction was a 25.7% decrease in CO₂-equivalent emissions, alongside significant reductions in human health (21.3%), resource use (16.6%), and ecosystem quality (15.4%) impacts. Scenario 1, incorporating a 20% longer concrete lifespan, achieved the lowest overall environmental burden without introducing trade-offs. Contribution analysis identified clinker production as the primary environmental hotspot, particularly for global warming, respiratory inorganics, and non-renewable energy use. These findings highlight the dual benefit of GP concrete in reducing emissions and diverting waste, offering a viable strategy for sustainable construction, especially in regions with local glass waste availability and supportive processing infrastructure.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

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Pollution
Volume 12, Issue 1
January 2026
Pages 1-15

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