Concrete Plant Environmental Issues - What are They?
Posted on Thu, Apr 28, 2011 @ 03:23 PM
Whatever kind of concrete plant you run, be it ready mix, precast, or masonry, you probably know of the negative environmental attributes people tend to imagine - dust, noise, and traffic. If not addressed correctly, then yes, they can be an issue. Usually, that's not the case though. Proper housekeeping and best management practices can curtail and almost eliminate dust and noise. And, if your site is zoned properly, then traffic is typically not an issue.
So what are the environmental issues at a concrete plant then?
Typically, environmental issues at concrete production facilities mainly involve two things; water, and concrete solids.
Concrete cannot be made without water, and plants use a lot of it in both production and processing. This "process" water, when compounded with stormwater (heavy rains, snow, ice, etc.) can result in excess water that needs to be carefully managed, stored, recycled, or discharged (with proper permitting, of course). When you consider that process water often has high solids content, known as total suspended solids or TSS, and an elevated pH level, this becomes quite a management problem. Currently the industry is also making an effort to reduce, reuse, or recycle water, which further makes water management a big challenge. Proper management of both process and storm water is crucial for a concrete plant to be environmentally friendly and in compliance with regulations.
Almost every site I've ever been to deals with concrete solids. What I'm referring to is the excess concrete material from over-ordering, from removal of fines from settling pits, or from rejected loads or product. Concrete solids can build up quickly, resulting in large volumes of material that need to be properly dealt with. There are various ways to manage concrete solids, such as using a reclaimer, recycling into recycled aggregates, creating blocks, or on-site paving. Correctly handling concrete solids is often easier than you think, and helps dramatically in reducing environmental issues.
These are not the only two issues at a concrete plant regarding the environment. There are rules and regulations to proper storage and usage of things like petroleum and chemical products, however, it's often water and concrete solids that demand most of the attention. This is where a company can take a look at itself, and its operation, and make changes for the better. Best management practices can be implemented, and changes can be made. There are great (and sustainable) options for the reuse and recycling of both water and concrete materials. Good operations, proper management, and some forward thinking can make environmental concerns at a concrete plant a thing of the past.
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