Seashells turned to eco-friendly concrete

Researchers at the University of East London have discovered that discarded seashells, when processed into fine powder, can replace up to one-third of the cement used in concrete. The breakthrough offers a scalable way to cut carbon emissions, with the study showing a 36 per cent reduction in the material’s footprint

Researchers at the University of East London (UEL) have found an extraordinary new purpose for discarded seashells. Once processed into a fine powder, shells can replace up to a third of the cement in concrete, offering a highly scalable method to reduce carbon output.

Cement, the binding agent in concrete, accounts for roughly 7 per cent of global carbon emissions. It is everywhere, its carbon footprint enormous. UEL’s study found that ground scallop shells — which typica