Carbon footprint implications of using seawater and marine aggregates in concrete

The use of seawater and marine aggregates in concrete can significantly reduce the pressure on freshwater resources in areas carachterized by low local water availability. However, possible burden shiftings have not been investigated yet. The present study investigates the carbon footprint implications of using seawater and marine aggregates in concrete mixes and analyses the trade-offs between water and carbon footprints. Geo-referenced data are used to explore the influence of the distance from the coast to the concrete batching plant. The use of seawater does not seem to increase the greenhouse gas emissions of concrete production in regions near the sea. However, using marine aggregates could significantly worsen the carbon footprint of concrete if the batching plant was distant from the coast.