Ecological concrete

1998/01/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Materialak
• Ekologia
• Ingurumena

To prevent concrete from adhering to the formwork, mineral oils are used, which in Europe employ some 60,000 tons per year. But mineral oils burn, produce toxic vapors and leave traces difficult to remove. Therefore, fatty acid esters from vegetable oils, such as rapeseed, soy or coconut, have been used.

The European Union is promoting a mineral oil substitution program called VERA: Vegetable Oil Based Release Agents). There are four research centres: Germany, Finland, Holland and Portugal. Their work is to investigate the cost of the VERA program and the treatment of waste of mineral oils.