In most cases waste disposal laws and regulations require that the waste to be disposed of be accompanied by some kind of analytical data. However, such data are generally insufficient to determine whether the waste can be used in brick. For a typical brick factory the information that is required is listed in Table 9.1 (Moedinger and D’Anna 2002; Moedinger 2003, 2004).

It is essential that the quality and composition of the waste in use at the brick plant be continuously monitored so one is aware of any sporadic fluctuations in composition that could detrimentally affect the manufactured product. Long-term

Table 9.1 Basic information for testing the potential waste material for inclusion in a brick body

production tests are necessary to establish eventual variations in the composition and the impact on the product or production process.

Some of the potentially detrimental results on brick products or the production process caused by various wastes can be offset by the use of appropriate “correc­tive” additives:

• The concentration of chromium and chlorates with respect to their possible volatilization on firing and their subsequent concentration in the flue gases and potential effects on the refractory material of the kiln

• Odor and smells

• Heavy metals

• Organic contamination

• Chemical contamination

• Particle size distribution

• Water absorption

• Content of carbonate minerals

• Soluble salts