Dutch Town Paving Street With Air-Purifying Concrete
Now here’s an innovation that might make me consider moving back to New York City: air-purifying concrete. The small Dutch town of Hengelo is testing out the concrete paving stones, which contain a titanium-dioxide based additive that binds to nitrogen particles emitted by car exhaust and turns them into harmless nitrates.
- » See also: Sisters on the Planet United Against Climate Change
- » Get CleanTechnica by RSS or sign up by email.
If the bricks work, pollutants such as acid rain and smog will be reduced.
The town is determining the effectiveness of the new concrete by paving one half of a road under construction with the “green” bricks, and one half with regular bricks. Air quality measurements will be taken early next year, and results should be available next summer.
While I look forward to successful results with the new technology, I sincerely hope that the green bricks won’t be used as an excuse to lower emissions standards. Air-purifying concrete should be looked at as a way to make air even cleaner than it already is, not as an excuse to let vehicles release more nitrogen oxides.
Photo Credit: PhysOrg
More Posts on Clean Technology:
- Wind-Powered Tall Ships Are Once Again Important As Oil Prices Hurt Trade
- 4 Reasons Why Germany Is A Renewable Energy Success Story
- Texas To Build Wind Power Superhighway
this is incredible.
schwizzle, i totally agree with the last bit too. well said. have i mentioned that you are my hero?
But then what happens to the “harmless nitrates”?
Washed down into storm sewers and into waterways?
Maybe not so good…