Revolutionizing the construction industry: the US has figured out how to produce environmentally friendly concrete
Concrete production is one of the leading sources of industrial pollution in the world, accounting for approximately 7% of total carbon emissions, contributing to poor air quality and overheating of the planet.
A startup called CarbonCure Technologies has proposed a way to reduce this carbon pollution by injecting carbon dioxide directly into the concrete itself.
The carbon dioxide then reacts with the calcium ions in the cement to form a very strong substance called calcium carbonate, reducing the total amount of cement needed and locking the carbon inside instead of releasing it into the atmosphere.
CarbonCure, which has received financial backing from Amazon and Microsoft, is working with construction companies such as Vulcan Materials to introduce its technology into more concrete. He calls the final product “green concrete.”
“It seems as if we are on the verge of a second industrial revolution,” said Scott Schell of the ClimateWorks Foundation, an environmental philanthropy fund.
Of course, another important way for concrete producers to reduce the pollution that causes the planet to overheat is to switch to clean, renewable energy sources such as wind and solar.
