India-Norway Dialogue on Waste to Resource Solutions in Cement and Construction Sector
The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), India, together with SINTEF and Research Council of Norway organized the India–Norway Dialogue on "Waste to Resource Solutions in the Cement and Construction Sector" on 10 November 2026 at India Habitat Centre, New Delhi. The event brought together representatives from CSIR Institutes, SINTEF, regulatory authorities, and the cement and construction industries to explore collaborative approaches for sustainable waste management and resource recovery, aligning with the India-Norway Green Strategic Partnership established in May 2026 with circular economy, clean technology and research at its core.
Prof. R. Pradeep Kumar, Director of CSIR-CBRI, highlighted the transition from linear to circular economy and the need to transform construction and industrial waste into valuable resources. Discussions covered potential applications of construction and demolition (C&D) waste, steel slag, fly ash, red mud, and other industrial residues, along with challenges related to processing technologies, standardization, economic viability, and market acceptance.
A technical session on "Safe destruction of POPs and hazardous waste" was led by Dr. Kåre Helge Karstensen of SINTEF and Dr. Ramesh Kumar of CSIR-NEERI, exploring cement kiln co-processing for environmentally sound treatment of hazardous wastes including Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs), DDT and PCB-contaminated materials. CSIR-NEERI presented India's National Implementation Plan aligned with Stockholm Convention commitments, the 2025 CDW Rules, related regulations, and legacy POPs inventory. International experiences presented by SINTEF highlighted cement kilns' potential to destroy hazardous organic contaminants under controlled high-temperature conditions while substituting conventional fossil fuels with waste-derived alternative fuels, emphasizing need for technical protocols, controlled industrial trials, emission monitoring, and regulatory compliance.
Research initiatives from CSIR-CRRI and CSIR-AMPRI showcased opportunities for utilizing fly ash, copper slag, red mud, plastic waste, steel grit and other industrial by-products in road construction, geopolymer concrete, specialized aggregates, and value-added construction products. A dedicated session on C&D waste recycling led by Dr. Christian John Engelsen of SINTEF highlighted international best practices including recycled aggregate-based construction products, mobile recycling units, and improved processing techniques for removing impurities.
The dialogue identified several priority areas for future collaboration, including development of two to three joint India–Norway research proposals, pilot-scale demonstration projects for hazardous waste treatment, technical guidelines for DDT and PCB-contaminated waste disposal, advancement of waste-derived construction materials, and strengthening industry–academia partnerships. The program concluded with emphasis on strengthening bilateral research and technological cooperation, promoting circular construction practices, and accelerating transition toward sustainable, resource-efficient cement and construction sectors.