Comments

The Ecorock patents describe the use of phosphoric acid and acidic phosphates as raw materials. Phosphoric acid and phosphates are manufactured by energy intensive and highly polluting industrial processes - they generate large amounts of toxic byproducts including hydrofluoric acid gas and radioactive phosphogypsum waste (http://www.fluoridealert.org/phosphate/overview.htm, and www.epa.gov/radiation/neshaps/subpartr/about.html) Also, phosphates are essential for fertilizers and phosphate ore is a limited resource the reserves of which are projected to be depleted within the century and lead to shortages, especially in developing countries (http://www.fao.org/docrep/007/y5053e/y5053e00.HTM) So, Ecorock uses phosphate - a product of a very energy-intensive and polluting industry? And Ecorock is going to compete with agriculture/food production for phosphate?

We have been looking at Serious Material's patent applications - they really are a puzzle because they do not match the "Green" and "Eco-friendly" claims made by the company. The patents basically describe the reaction of phosphoric acid or acidic phosphates with magnesium oxide, coal fly ash, calcium silicate. If this is the core technology of Ecorock, then it is anything but Green - for example: 1) Phosphoric acid and phosphates of any description are not Green by any stretch of the imagination - they are manufactured by a energy intensive and highly polluting industrial process which causes environmental damage, generate large amounts of toxic byproducts - including hydrofluoric acid which is released into the atmosphere and is extremely hazardous and radioactive phosphogypsum waste which is stockpiled in vast amounts. Where is the Green? Links at: http://www.greens.org/s-r/29/29-18.html http://www.fluoridealert.org/phosphate/overview.htm www.epa.gov/radiation/neshaps/subpartr/about.html 2) Phosphoric acid and acidic phosphates are used for the manufacture of fertilizers and the supply of phosphate ore is limited - this is a limited resource and is essential for agriculture - world reserves of phosphate are projected to be severely depleted within the century and lead to shortages for agriculture - this is already being seen in developing countries which rely heavily on fertilizers. So - which is more important - phosphate for Ecorock or for essential food production? Hardly Green. Links at: http://www.tierramerica.info/nota.php?lang=eng&idnews=1683 http://www.fao.org/docrep/007/y5053e/y5053e00.HTM 3) Magnesium oxide - this is made by calcining magnesite-rich rocks at high temperatures - and the process generates large quantities of carbon dioxide. Definately not Green. 4) Coal fly ash - the problems of this byproduct of the highly polluting coal industry are well known - for example, it is laced with a cocktail of toxic heavy metals. "Ecorock" appears to be a very inappropriate name for this product - the technology seems to be the very opposite of Green and Ecologically Friendly. It uses raw materials from very dirty manufacturing processes which use large amounts of fossil fuels, generate large amounts of carbon dioxide and a whole range of toxic byproducts which cause environmental and health problems. All will be clear if and when this product actually appears - we are looking forward to obtaining a sample and analyzing its composition and determining how "Green" it really is.