Portland Cement Shortages

Several regions of the country are experiencing a

shortage of portland cement, the key ingredient in concrete. According to the Portland Cement Association (PCA), among the chief causes for this shortage are increased demand in the residential sector and limited availability of ships to carry imported cement, which in turn is blamed largely on booming Asian economies. Cement companies are expanding production to meet demand, but PCA says that “the short-term solution is to import more cement.” Others see a solution in the replacement of portland cement with flyash, a byproduct of coal-fired power plants (see

EBN Vol 8, No. 6). According to Keith Bargaheiser, marketing manager for the American Coal Ash Association, in

Waste News (August 2), flyash demand has risen 15–20% in the past year. Replacing each ton of portland cement prevents emission of approximately one ton of greenhouse gas.