Life Cycle Assessment of Palm Oil Waste Biochar as a Partial Cement Replacement in Concrete Production in Malaysia

Abstract

As the environmental impact of construction materials faces increased scrutiny, sustainable alternatives are garnering interest. Biochar emerged as a potential candidate for partially replacing cement in construction applications. Life cycle assessment (LCA) evaluates the environmental impacts of products, processes, and services throughout their life cycle, and identify environmental improvement opportunities. This study provides a comprehensive LCA of biochar produced from empty fruit bunches and palm kernel shells as a partial cement replacement, aiming to evaluate its environmental performance across various life cycle stages. The research includes five scenarios: 4% biochar from empty fruit bunches with pyrolysis at 500°C and 455°C, 4% biochar from palm kernel shells with pyrolysis at 500°C and 409°C, and without biochar used. This study has a cradle-to-gate approach, analyzing the environmental impacts of biochar production, transportation, incorporation into cement, and the resulting concrete's life cycle. The LCA is conducted using OpenLCA software and the Tool for the Reduction and Assessment of Chemical and Other Environmental Impacts TRACI for life cycle impact assessment (LCIA). The study concludes that palm oil waste biochar as a partial cement replacement reduces greenhouse gas emissions, with 4% palm kernel shell biochar pyrolyzed at 409°C showing the best results among all scenarios.