Biochar: A New Hope for Converting Solid Waste Carbon Footpr

Recently, an article published in the journal Nature Geoscience pointed out that the global potential for reducing emissions from the production and use of biochar can reach 3.4-6.3 billion tons of carbon dioxide equivalent, providing new ideas for addressing climate change.

With the acceleration of urbanization, the amount of solid waste has surged, and environmental pollution and greenhouse gas emissions are becoming increasingly serious. Among them, biomass waste accounts for the largest proportion and the greenhouse effect is also the most prominent. Taking the United States as an example, solid waste landfills are the third largest source of greenhouse gas methane emissions. In 2019, methane emissions were equivalent to the carbon emissions of 21.6 million cars driving throughout the year or 12 million households consuming energy.

At present, biomass power generation is a common way of utilizing biomass waste, but due to high collection and conversion costs, it conflicts with product value. In this context, biochar has received increasing attention as a new path to turn waste into treasure.

Biochar is a porous solid particle rich in carbon, formed by the high-temperature conversion of biomass under anaerobic conditions. It has a wide range of raw materials for preparation and can convert and fix unstable organic carbon. In the field of agriculture, adding biochar can improve soil water retention and nutrient supply, promoting crop yield increase; In industry, it can be used as a battery electrode or catalyst; In terms of environment, it can adsorb pollutants and greenhouse gases.

In addition, the preparation methods of biochar are simple and diverse, with flexible sites and advantages for promotion. However, its effectiveness is affected by waste and production processing factors, and the relevant mechanisms still need to be further studied.

The conversion and utilization of solid waste belongs to end of pipe disposal. While optimizing technology, attention should also be paid to full life cycle management, and efforts should be made to reduce waste at the source and resource utilization in the process. Some developed countries have formed industries for solid waste treatment systems, while China's related industries are at a critical stage. It is necessary to establish and improve a standardized system based on national conditions, build a complete industrial chain, and promote the solid waste treatment industry to achieve pollution reduction and carbon reduction goals.