The Cement Industry: Environmental Impact

Cement – we might not notice it because we are virtually surrounded by it; industrialization simply cannot occur without an ample amount of this building material, and the structure of nearly every building we enter relies upon it. Since it's so ubiquitous, it tends to fade into the background and we don't really think about it. But the truth is that cement – particularly its manufacturing process – has a huge impact on our environment.

It's not a material we can easily replace, mostly because we use so much of it. It's used all around the globe for essential structures such as bridges, roads, and sidewalks, and we've yet to come up with something that could make for a sufficient replacement. So what exactly are we compromising in order to industrialize?

The manufacturing of cement results in the use of lots of energy and the release of lots of emissions. This is the result of the high temperatures needed to fire the product for hardening. The main emission that results from making cement is CO2, which comes from both the heating of the limestone and the burning of fossil fuels. So much cement is made – about 2.55 billion tons annually – that the industry alone is responsible for 5% of the emissions of carbon dioxide worldwide. 

Though as of right now there are no viable cement substitutes, many major players in the industry, like Alex F Bouri, are doing what they can to mitigate the emissions. For example, the fossil fuels used to heat the kilns can be replaced with alternative fuels such as natural gas and recycled fuels. Some companies are coming up with ideas to make more efficient kilns. 

Some industries are finding it important to find an alternative to limestone, since the calcination process of limestone is responsible for many of the environmentally detrimental effects of manufacturing cement. Some companies have already begun to use a blended mixture, replacing some of the limestone with coal fly ash and other materials. However, it's difficult to implement this method entirely due to environmental limitations, though it does help to reduce emissions by as much as 20%.

Limitations have already been put in place by the government which encourages these manufacturers to do what they can to minimize their carbon footprints. Some are simply recycling more, and others are building walls to contain the majority of the pollution. In any sense, it's an issue that's extremely impactful and will hopefully continue to make progress.