Cement substitute to save the planet; Waste alternative will save energy reveals study.Byline: DAVID JONES David Jones is a common name, particularly in Wales, and there have been several well-known individuals with this name. Variations include Dave Jones and Davy Jones. Business Staff NEW research in Wales has shown that cement substitutes made from industrial wastes could cut the energy needed to make concrete by up to a quarter. The study was carried out by Ruthinbased environmental engineering consultants Richards, Moorehead Laing with Environmental and Industrial Evaluations Ltd and Cardiff University's School of Engineering. RML RML right middle lobe (of lungs). managing director Ivor Richards said: ``Our trials have demonstrated that waste products from a wide range of process industries can be used to replace a significant proportion of the cement currently used to make concrete, with no loss of material performance. ``The potential environmental and cost benefits are enormous. Concrete is the world's most popular construction material and its use accounts for up to 40% of global energy consumption and emissions. '' Mr Richards said world cement production is 1. 8bn tonnes and rising, and each ton ne of cement produces around a tonne of greenhouse gas greenhouse gas n. Any of the atmospheric gases that contribute to the greenhouse effect. greenhouse gas carbon dioxide carbon dioxide, chemical compound, CO2, a colorless, odorless, tasteless gas that is about one and one-half times as dense as air under ordinary conditions of temperature and pressure. . ``Replacing 25% of the cement used to make concrete would cut carbon dioxide emissions by at least 400m tonnes a year. It would also solve the growing problem of how to dispose of To determine the fate of; to exercise the power of control over; to fix the condition, application, employment, etc. of; to direct or assign for a use. See also: Dispose many industrial wastes which currently go to landfill. '' The research, which paves the way for the development of new commercial processes, has won an award under the DTI's Knowledge Transfer Partnership programme which promotes collaborative projects between private industry and academic institutions. Gary Hunt, managing director of E&IE, said detailed investigations had been carried out over three years into the potential use of wastes from a range of process and manufacturing industries, including ceramics and chemicals. He said: ``We have identified and tested many materials which can be used successfully as cement substitutes, producing cement/waste blends with all the performance characteristics of conventional cements, but at much lower cost. ``We have also discovered that specific wastes have the potential to make new high performance and specialist cements. Design of the production plant that will make these new cement materials is in its final stages. ``Tremendous benefits will accrue for the construction industry, manufacturing and process industries and the global environment. '' CAPTION(S): RML managing director Ivor Richards whose firm carried out the study |
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