Abstract: A method for manufacturing silicon nitride from waste silicon kerf includes the steps of reducing agglomerations in the waste silicon kerf, adding and mixing calcium oxide to the waste silicon kerf, placing the waste silicon kerf in a ceramic crucible, placing the ceramic crucible in a furnace, heat treating the waste silicon kerf in the ceramic crucible in the furnace under a vacuum to disassociate silicon dioxide into silicon and silicon monoxide, and heat treating the waste silicon kerf in the ceramic crucible in the furnace while introducing nitrogen gas into the furnace to create the silicon nitride.