Admixture industry shows environmental awareness
October 28, 2004

The UK Cement Admixtures Association (CAA) has been working with the European Federation of Concrete Admixture Associations (EFCA) to produce Environmental Declarations for the main types of admixture.

With an increasing number of clients taking account of environmental factors in relation to proposed design, materials and construction methods, sustainability has become an important consideration for the construction industry. The CAA therefore considered it important that it should be able to provide environmental data on its products and demonstrate that, correctly used and assessed; admixtures can improve the environmental profile of concrete in structures.

To achieve this objective the CAA, in conjunction with EFCA, commissioned a life cycle inventory (LCI) of the admixture types making up 80% of European sales. This was carried out and analysed in accordance with the ISO 14000 series of standards by INTRON BV and critically reviewed by IKP/University of Stuttgart. Information was obtained from all the main admixture suppliers and from most countries across Europe, including the UK.

The results of the LCI are now available in the form of Environmental Declaration Sheets covering normal and superplasticising admixtures. They will be of particular interest to anyone carrying out LCA (Life cycle assessment/analysis) of concrete structures.

The sheets are available free of charge, from the CAA, by faxing the secretary on 01564 776362.

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