How to Dispose of Cement Powder? 4 Different Ways

If you are willing to throw out the leftover or expired cement powder then you will need to know how to dispose of it properly. You can’t dispose of the cement powder to nature directly because the toxic ingredients of it can harm the environment.

Disposing of cement powder needs to be done properly and if you don’t have any idea then this article can be of help. In today’s article, we have discussed the procedure of disposing of cement as well as what you should do during disposal and what you shouldn’t.

So, without any further ado, let’s begin!

Disposing Ways of Cement Powder

Simply put, you can’t dispose of the cement powder directly to the environment and for doing so, there will be consequences. One of the best ways of disposing of cement is to recycle it. Here we have provided the ways of disposing of cement powder. Follow them and dispose of cement without any issues.

Way 1: Reuse Cement Powder

If cement powder isn’t out of expiry date then it’s better to reuse the cement. Even though you can use the expired cement powder in nonstructural work such as repairing floor surfaces, floor finishing, fixing porches, etc.

Way 2: Send Cement Powder for Recycling

It is one of the best ways of disposing of cement. There you will find a lot of organizations that recycle cement. So, selling them will help you to earn a few bucks and you will be able to keep the environment safe.

Way 3: Use the Cement Powder as Land Filling

You can use cement powder to create a solid slurry and then use it as landfill material. According to EPA (Environmental Protection Agency), you can use the slurry once it is hardened as landfill material without any issues.

Way 4: Make Concrete Slurry For Disposing

Take your leftover cement powder and mix it with water to create a cement slurry. Now, keep the mixture for hardening. Wait for 24 hours and when the slurry is hardened, put them into a compostable bag or other trash cans.

Things You Will Need to Know Before Disposing Cement Powder

Basically, we throw out unnecessary things in the trash can and sometimes there you will see that items are thrown in the water. Well, when it comes to cement powder, it’s strictly prohibited to throw them directly in a trash can, dumping area, or water body. 

Why Disposing of Cement Powder in Trash Cans Prohibited?

Most of the materials that are used are known as toxic and one of them is Hexavalent Chromium. Initially, the manufacturer uses a reducing agent for keeping Chromium VI at a lower level but when it expires, the level increases.

When you will put the cement powder in the trash can, it will come in contact with moisture, Chromium VI activates and create dangerous fumes. Chromium VI is a hazardous substance that can cause cancer in the human body. For this reason, it’s prohibited to put cement powder in the trash can.

Why Disposing of Cement Powder in Stormwater or Water Body Prohibited?

Generally, when cement comes in contact with moisture or water, it turns into a highly alkaline substance. When it contacts with water, it releases calcium and hydroxide ions and they form Calcium Hydroxide whose pH is 12 or higher than 12.

When you dispose of it through stormwater or in a waterbody, it will increase the pH of the water and can kill the living creatures in the water. Also, cement-mixed wastewater can’t be filtered properly and it will have a high level of toxicity.

Frequently Asked Questions and Answers – FAQs

Can I use concrete dust as a partial cement replacement?

Unfortunately, the answer is no. You can’t use concrete dust as a replacement for cement. Because of doing so, you won’t be able to achieve compressive strength. Using concrete reduces compressive strength which is not acceptable.

What can I do with leftover mortar mix?

You can use it for small repairs in your house. If you do not have any scope to use the leftover mortar then harden it, pour it into a compostable bag, and through it into a trash can.

How do I get rid of silica dust?

To get rid of silica dust, you can follow two common methods. Either you can use water to clean the workspace. The water shower will remove the silica dust. Or you can use a HEPA-filtered vacuum which will remove up to 99.7% of small particles.

What can I do with a hardened bag of concrete?

You can do a lot of things with a hardened bag of concrete. For example, you can use it for forming terraces. You can scramble the concrete and use them as backfill or landfill material.

Conclusion

Lastly, it’s always better to choose to recycle the cement powder as a disposing way. Keep the things remember that we have aforementioned. Follow them and dispose of cement powder properly.