How Muck-rete Can Help
The primary focus of Muck-rete is disposing of the massive amount of Muck that is being removed from the Indian River Lagoon. After years of testing and working with Muck-rete, I have developed a suitable mixture that is 30% Muck. If Muck-rete became a viable concrete option for roads, pavements, and small structures like benches, the amount of Muck that we need to get rid of would exponentially decrease. In order to get rid of the millions of cubic yards that have already been dredged, we must find a use for it. One option is clearly Muck-rete.
The benefits of getting rid of the already dredged Muck are numerous. By opening up space, the dredging projects can continue and lead to an overall healthier and safer environment.
The Business Angle
The use of Muck as an aggregate in concrete has more than just an environmental impact. The concrete industry is over a $90 billion industry. If Muck were to be used in the concrete industry it would allow for massive price reductions for concrete projects and price reductions for concrete companies. Money that would typically be spent on traditional aggregates is therefore saved.
The aggregate that Muck replaces, is sand. Sand, and the extraction process of aggregate sand, is estimated to be a $70 billion industry. This industry is catered to the concrete industry and the idea that sand is a necessary aggregate. Sand is not only a major industry but is also becoming a global issue. In short, the world is running out of usable sand. Sand ideal for concrete is rigid, not desert sand, but sand found at the bottom of rivers around the globe. To extract and harvest this sand, rivers are being damaged and suffering from massive amounts of erosion as the sand is mined. In some parts of the globe, illegal sand mining is becoming an issue as the product is in such high demand. If some of this sand were to be replaced with an alternative aggregate, like Muck, not only would the Indian River Lagoon’s ecosystem benefit but so would rivers and ecosystems around the globe. Additionally, there would be major economic advantages if concrete companies had to pay for a reduced amount of sand. Overall, there would be economic and environmental benefits to using Muck as an aggregate in concrete.
