A Mini-Review on Safe Treatment and Valorization of Salt Waste in Chemical Production Processes in China

In chemical production processes in China, a huge volume of salt waste is produced, contributing to environmental pollution due to the lack of proper treatment procedures to manage this waste effectively. With the current lack of proper treatment methods for salt waste disposal, landfill emerges as the predominant disposal approach adopted in China, exacerbating environmental concerns associated with the accumulation of such waste. In addition, this method fails to reuse and recycle salt waste. This review paper presents pertinent research on the safe disposal and utilization of salt waste in China. Well-known valorization methods, such as oxidation, thermal treatment, washing separation, precipitation, and evaporation crystallization, are comprehensively reviewed. The current technologies for recovering resources from salt waste and recommendations for its treatment and valorization are analyzed. This research work offers a reference for future resource utilization of industrial salt waste.