Earth Day is celebrated on April 22. To mark this special and important date, we are dedicating our content to topics related to sustainability in the concrete sector. There are several practices that can be adopted to make concrete production more sustainable.
In this article, we present some of these practices, from concrete reuse to good practices in water use. If you are looking for ways to make your production more sustainable, check out our tips for adopting more conscious and responsible processes.
Concrete reuse
According to the ABNT NBR 7212 standard, it is possible to reuse returned concrete in its fresh state in a new delivery, provided that it meets the minimum requirements set by the standard itself. However, it may only be used in concrete deliveries belonging to strength group I of ABNT NBR 8953, and it must not make up more than 50% of the new mix.
It is essential that the newly batched concrete and the returned concrete become perfectly homogeneous and that the result meets all the parameters of the order. In addition, the plant must record the technical specifications of each reclassification.
Good practices in water use and reuse
Water is an important natural resource in concrete production, used in various stages of the process, such as mixing cement, aggregates and additives, and washing the mixer trucks. However, the excessive and inappropriate use of this resource can negatively impact the environment and society.
One way to optimize water consumption is through flow and pressure control measures, avoiding waste and reducing losses. In cases of reuse, treatment measures such as filtration and disinfection of the liquid must be taken, ensuring that it does not affect the quality and strength of the concrete produced.
Even so, the water must comply with the minimum requirements established by the ABNT NBR 15900-1:2009 standard.
Concrete recycling
Concrete recycling consists of reusing what has already been used on a project as raw material for a new construction, instead of discarding it as rubble. This practice brings several benefits, both for the environment and for the economy, as it reduces the amount of rubble produced by construction sites, which avoids the use of landfills and decreases soil and air pollution.
The process begins with the demolition or dismantling of an existing concrete structure, such as a building or a bridge. The pieces are then separated, cleaned and crushed into smaller fragments. The result can be used as aggregate in new mixes of non-structural concrete, according to the ABNT NBR 15116 standard. The use in structural concrete, on the other hand, is not yet permitted in Brazil, although it is under analysis and already takes place in other countries.
To learn more about adopting best practices in concrete production, get in touch with Kartrak.
