Improving the sustainability of foundation industries

Researchers from a consortium of UK universities, led by Professor Ian Reaney in Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Sheffield, will help develop a national strategy to improve the sustainability of glass, ceramics, metals, paper, cement and bulk chemicals industries.

This new Network+ will underpin the UK government’s Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund to help the industries share expertise and develop solutions to remain internationally competitive. The foundation industries are worth £52 billion to the UK’s economy, produce 28mln t of materials per year and account for 10% of the UK’s total CO2 emissions – a figure the consortium hopes to reduce.

The Network+ also includes the Universities of Leeds, Swansea and Manchester, and will co-ordinate a country wide approach and promote cross-sectoral solutions.

 Professor Reaney comments, ‘An economy is only as sustainable as the materials it is built on’.