Why is cement a pollutant?

Cement production is the world’s single biggest industrial cause of carbon pollution, responsible for 8\% of global emissions. The key raw material for Portland cement is limestone, which releases carbon dioxide as it is heated in a cement kiln. This process accounts for over 55\% of cement-related emissions.

How polluting is the cement industry?

Taking in all stages of production, concrete is said to be responsible for 4-8\% of the world’s CO2. Half of concrete’s CO2 emissions are created during the manufacture of clinker, the most-energy intensive part of the cement-making process.

What is the main pollutant coming out of cement industry?

The cement industries have been categorized as highly polluting industries by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). The main pollutants emitted from cement industries include Particulate Matter, Sulphur Dioxide (SO2) and Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2).

Why is cement so bad for environment?

Why is Concrete a Problem? After coal-powered electricity, cement manufacture is the next biggest emitter of greenhouse gases, accounting for approximately 5\% of annual anthropogenic global CO2 production.

Why does cement create CO2?

Carbon dioxide is emitted as a by-product of clinker production, an intermediate product in cement manufacture, in which calcium carbonate (CaCO3) is calcinated and converted to lime (CaO), the primary component of cement. CO2 is also emitted during cement production by fossil fuel combustion.

Do cement factories pollute the environment?

The most astonishing thing about cement is how much air pollution it produces. Manufacturing the stone-like building material is responsible for 7\% of global carbon dioxide emissions, more than what comes from all the trucks in the world.

What are the problems of cement industry?

On the other hand, this industry is also a heavy polluter. Cement production releases 5–6\% of all carbon dioxide generated by human activities, accounting for about 4\% of global warming. It can release huge amounts of persistent organic pollutants, such as dioxins and heavy metals and particles.

What are industrial pollutants?

The major industrial pollutants affecting air quality are sulfur dioxide, volatile organic solvents, and particulate materials, such as metal dust. Burning waste, particularly plastics, can also produce dioxins and other hazardous chlorinated compounds.

Is cement a pollutant?

The cement sector is the third largest industrial source of pollution, emitting more than 500,000 tons per year of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, and carbon monoxide.

How does concrete production affect the environment?

The environmental impacts of concrete production go beyond CO2 emissions and climate change. Impacts can include acid rain as a result of emissions of sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and nitric oxide; health risks of locally high concentrations of cement kiln dust, and the depletion of drinking water supplies.

Why is cement so energy intensive?

The primary component of cement is limestone. Cement manufacturing is highly energy- and emissions-intensive because of the extreme heat required to produce it. Producing a ton of cement requires 4.7 million BTU of energy, equivalent to about 400 pounds of coal, and generates nearly a ton of CO2.