From the walls of the foundation to the mortar in the tile, concrete is used in nearly every construction project. You can’t avoid it.
Here’s a look at the life cycle of concrete:
Where does concrete come from? Concrete is natural, made up of sand, Portland cement, stone, and water. Verdict: Good.
What are the by-products of making concrete? The production of the chief ingredient — Portland cement — requires an immense amount of energy, and the by-product is greenhouse gases. Verdict: Bad.
How is concrete delivered and installed? Concrete can be made locally or even right on the job site. Verdict: Good.
How is concrete maintained and operated? Concrete is durable, can be left unpainted, and is virtually maintenance free. Verdict: Good.
How healthy is concrete? Concrete is stable and does not release any harmful chemicals. Verdict: Good.
What do we do with concrete after we’re done with it? Concrete is technically recyclable and could be reused. However, reuse and recycling don’t happen with concrete as often as they should. Verdict: Fair.
By asking these simple questions, you can see the only real issue with using concrete comes from the by-products created from Portland cement. But instead of using Portland cement, you can use fly ash. Fly ash, the soot by-product of coal-fired electric plants, can substitute for 15% to 50% of the Portland cement in the concrete. This saves 44 trillion Btus of energy annually in the United States, while preventing the mercury content of the fly ash from seeping into the food and water supply.
Bottom line: Fly ash concrete is the most responsible choice. After it’s mixed with concrete, the mercury in the fly ash is safe and completely contained. Any concrete contractor or structural engineer can find sources of fly ash. For more information, visit http://www.flyash.com.
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