New environmental report on slag cement

Slag cement has been used for well over a century. It is ground granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBFS) that can be used to replace a portion of the portland cement in a concrete mixture to make concrete better and more consistent. The enhancements it makes include:

• Better concrete workability
• Easier to finish
• Higher compressive and flexural strengths
• Lower permeability
• Improved resistance to aggressive chemicals
• More consistent plastic and hardened properties
• Lighter colour

A new study from the Slag Cement Association (SCA) also indicates dramatic improvements in the environmental benefits of using slag cement. The findings indicate that between 154 and 374 pounds of CO₂ are saved per cubic yard of concrete by using a 50 percent slag cement substitution. This is a 42 to 46 percent reduction in CO₂. A 50 percent slag cement substitution also equates to a 30 to 48 percent reduction in embodied energy per cubic yard of concrete.

Source: SCA