Problems (Impacts of Cement Industries)

The cement industry is one of two largest producers of carbon dioxide (CO2), creating up to
5% of worldwide man-made emissions of this gas, of which 50% is from the chemical process
and 40% from burning fuel. Cement manufacture contributes greenhouse gases both
directly through the production of carbon dioxide when calcium carbonate is thermally
decomposed and particularly from the combustion of fossil fuels. They are also responsible
for nitrogen oxides, sulphur oxides and Dioxin emissions.

Concrete is used to create hard surfaces which contribute to surface runoff that may
cause soil erosion, water pollution and flooding.

Concrete dust released by building demolition and natural disasters can be a major source of
dangerous air pollution. This dust is of a mineral nature with similar constituents to cement
silica, alumina, iron and calcium compounds. The presence of these substances in
concrete, including useful and unwanted additives, can cause health concerns due to toxicity
and radioactivity. Dust emissions originate mainly from the raw mills and the cement mills.
They have been linked to respiratory problems such as Tuberculosis.

Foul smell is sometimes a direct result of the gases emitted during cement manufacturing.
Moreover, since cement manufacture has life threatening impacts to plants and animals, the
manufacturing process then directly and indirectly gives rise to offensive smells as the dead
plants and animals decay.

Fibro is short for "fibrous (or fibre) cement sheet", more commonly called "asbestos cement
sheet" or "AC sheet". It is a building material in which asbestos fibres are used to reinforce
thin rigid cement sheets. The use of fibro has now been banned in several countries, due to
its asbestos content. Asbestos is directly related to a number of life-threatening diseases
including, asbestosis, pleural mesothelioma (lung) and peritoneal
mesothelioma (abdomen). Fibre cement sheet is still readily available, but the reinforcing
fibres are now cellulose rather than asbestos.

Cement and its products also causes health hazards through skin contact, eye contact and
inhalation.
o Due to its highly alkaline nature (pH 13), it can penetrate the skin and cause burns and
ulcers.
o It can cause eye irritation, redness or even blindness when exposed to eyes.
o Inhalation of cement dust causes irritation of nose and throat, and if prolonged, may
lead to fatal lung diseases like silicosis.

Solutions

An Italian company Italcementi designed a kind of cement that is supposed to fight air
pollution by breaking down pollutants that come in contact with the concrete, thanks to the
use of Titanium dioxide absorbing UV light. Another proposed method of absorbing
emissions is to absorb CO2 in the curing process. Recent research has proposed that the use
of an admixture (Dicalcium Silicate phase) that absorbs CO2 as the concrete cures. With the
use of coal ash or another suitable substitute, this concrete could theoretically have a
CO2 emissions below 0 kg/m3, compared to normal concrete at 400 kg/m3.

Surface runoff, when water runs off impervious surfaces, such as non-porous concrete, can
cause severe soil erosion and flooding. Urban runoff tends to pick up gasoline, motor
oil, heavy metals, trash and other pollutants from sidewalks, roadways and parking lots. In
an attempt to counteract the negative effects of impervious concrete, many new paving
projects have begun to use pervious concrete, which provides a level of automatic storm
water management. It allows for surface runoff to seep through and return to the
groundwater. This both prevents flooding and contributes to groundwater replenishment.

Concrete recycling is an increasingly common method of disposing of concrete structures.

Concrete debris was once routinely shipped to landfills for disposal, but recycling is
increasing due to improved environmental awareness, governmental laws and economic
benefits.

The control of fugitive dust is done by:

o Ventilation systems should be used in conjunction with hoods and enclosures covering
transfer points and conveyors;
o Drop distances should be minimized by the use of adjustable conveyors;
o Dusty areas such as roads should be wetted down to reduce dust generation;
o Appropriate storm water and runoff control systems should be provided to minimize
the quantities of suspended material carried off site.
o Mechanical systems for controlling dust using applications of Dust collectors, Cyclones,
Electrostatic Precipitator.