If you've ever been through a major remodeling project, you know how horrifying the amount of waste is. You also know how filthy things are, particularly when you get to the drywall stage. (One of our two cats developed temporary skin problems from all the drywall dust. And I shuddered to think what we were all breathing and ingesting with that stuff floating around in our home and coating every surface.) See two pictures from our remodeling project at the end of this post for an illustration of both of these issues.
EcoRock seems like a very promising product, though, for those of you contemplating your own remodeling projects. Here are a few reasons why:
- Less Guilt: It's a green alternative to traditional drywall, as it takes less energy to produce, is made from recycled waste, and can be easily recycled or reused at the end of its life.
- More Durable: It's more resistant to termites and mold problems that is traditional gypsum drywall.
- Healthier: Both in its production and in terms of indoor air quality after installation.
- Less Mess!! The makers of EcoRock claim that it generates 60% less dust than regular drywall. Hooray!
Ok, so now a couple of hideous remodeling photos:
Photo #1: Just a small portion of the drywall waste generated during our remodeling project. The installers tossed these scraps down through the not-yet-enclosed wall of the new upstairs bedroom, down into this foyer area.
Photo #2: This isn't just bad housekeeping. Drywall dust got all over everything, including our pots and pans. Even if I had been diligent about cleaning it off daily (which I wasn't), it would have been right back again the next day. Truly, with a project of this scale, it's unavoidable. Needless to say, we ate out a lot last year. :)
There is nothing “Green” or “Eco-friendly” about Ecorock
ReplyDeleteEcorock is made from a cocktail of highly hazardous chemicals and industrial byproducts.
Sodium hydroxide - a highly corrosive and toxic chemical.
Cement kiln dust - a corrosive and toxic byproduct that is loaded with chromium and nickel.
Coal fly ash - a hazardous byproduct of coal burning that contains a cocktail of very toxic metals.
Blast furnace slag - a corrosive byproduct of the steel industry.
The sodium hydroxide and CKD are used to activate the fly ash and slag - a so-called “geopolymer”.
Surace stated that “there is no fly ash in Ecorock”. That is a lie.
Ecorock is toxic, it is not “Green” and it uses highly hazardous, energy-intensive and polluting ingredients.
I guess this comment from Anonymous highlights the importance of reading up and deciding for yourself. I was impressed with what I read online, including the fact that the product qualifies for LEED credits. But do the research and decide for yourself if you're thinking about using EcoRock in your own project.
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