| EarthCast Eco-Friendly Products | |
EarthCast strives to produce eco-friendly products and we choose to work with concrete because of its environmentally friendly features. Because concrete is made from natural materials (and sometimes mixed with recycled materials), is non-toxic, is a healthy alternative to other building products and has a low environmental impact, concrete is known as the leading “Green Building Material” in the construction industry.
You may find there are many "green" materials and products for homes or commercial spaces, but they all have some aspect that may not be considered eco-friendly. For that reason, you will find that there is no perfectly "green" building material. But we are confident that concrete, from its creation out of raw material to its use in building products, is one of the least harmful to the environment.
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Raw Materials / Energy Costs / Pollution
The predominant raw material for the cement in concrete is limestone, which is the most abundant mineral on earth.
Concrete can also be made with waste byproducts, such as fly ash and silica fume, from power plants and manufacturing facilities.
Unlike quarried stone, all of the quarried material used to produce concrete is utilized in producing concrete products. EarthCast takes care to accurately measure all ingredients to minimize or eliminate waste.
Because we create our own concrete mixes at EarthCast, we are able to incorporate recycled materials to conserve new resources and reduce waste in landfills.
Use of locally/regionally produced concrete reduces energy costs and pollution related to transportation of materials from across the country or from around the world (as in granite or marble).
If a consumer chooses to dispose of a concrete product, the concrete can be crushed and recycled into aggregate for use in new concrete products or as backfill or road base.
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| Concrete: A Healthy Alternative
Many people suffering from health problems caused by indoor air quality have learned that the harmful, toxic air in their homes is caused by Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). Concrete does not outgas VOCs!!
VOC outgassing can occur from many building products such as: paints, finishes, carpeting, various cabinet and countertop products, some cleaning products, and wood products containing glues high in formaldehyde.
Carpeting is the biggest culprit when it comes to poor indoor air quality. Some carpeting can outgas over 100 different VOCs. Carpet is hard to keep clean and is an ideal home for dust, mold, pollutants, and countless micro-organisms. Many homeowners have eliminated allergy problems by removing their carpet and staining their concrete foundation floor with a non-toxic pigment. (Click on the Flooring button to learn about options available for concrete floors.)
At EarthCast we do not use any VOC emitting materials in our concrete products! |
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