Industrial waste gases repurposed for consumer products

A new study led by Professor Jhuma Sadhukhan at Surrey University has demonstrated the environmental benefits of turning CO₂ emissions into key chemical ingredients.

As part of the Flue2Chem initiative, researchers for the first time assessed the entire life cycle of converting waste gases from steel and paper mills into alcohol ethoxylate, a surfactant for consumer goods, and low-medium distillate range liquid fuel.

The study, published in the Journal of CO2 Utilization, found the approach reduces global warming potential (GWP) by around 82 per cent for paper mill emissions and nearly half for the steel mill industry compared to fossil-based surfactant production.

In a statement, co-author Professor Jin Xuan, Associate Dean of Research and Innovation at Surrey, said: “For decades, fossil fuels have been the backbone of manufacturing, not just as an energy source but as a key component in the products people use daily. However, this reliance has come at a high environmental cost.