The Environmental Impact of Calcium Carbonate

Environmental Impact of Calcium Carbonate

The Environmental Impact of Calcium Carbonate

Basics

Calcium carbonate is a cheap and effective way for children, schools and universities can draw or write things. Though people have been wondering if calcium carbonate is heavily impacting the environment.

What is Calcium Carbonate?

Calcium carbonate is an element comprised of limestone with dead marine animals shells, like foraminifera and from the calcareous remains of marine algae known as coccoliths it also contains other materials.

Where does Calcium Carbonate Come From?

Scientist suggests that calcium carbonate was formed in the Cretaceous Period (between 99 to 65 million years ago). It was mostly formed under oceans where small marine animals would die and fall to the bottom of the ocean, then over time layers of sediment builds up and create pressure. After a few million years calcium carbonate can be found. Now calcium carbonate miners collect calcium carbonate from mines where the element has deposited. Interesting fact, the use of calcium carbonate skyrocketed in the Industrial Revolution, due to the need for bricks and quicklime.

Why is Calcium Carbonate Used?

One of the most common uses of calcium carbonate is drawing illustrations. Schools use this to teach children and they are also very cheap so schools can buy them in bulk for a very low price. This makes them very common in schools, especially in developing and underprivileged counties. These are also used to write things.

What is the Environmental Impact of Calcium Carbonate?

One of the environmental impacts of calcium carbonate is the fact that people don’t know how to clean it properly, they would use pressure washers to rinse it off (if it was drawn on concrete surfaces). The washed away properties of calcium carbonate could wash away and enter a river as most sewers systems lead to rivers, this would contaminate the river and kill animals that are living or reliant on the river. Another environmental impact of using calcium carbonate is how manufacturers get it. For example a mine could be built to mine calcium carbonate and the excavation team would use machinery that produce Co2 (carbon dioxide), this could lead to the planet warming up. Then at the factory where they would package it, they would use plastic boxes to keep them sealed this would be not environmental friendly. So using and getting calcium might be cheap, but what it does to the environment could be irreversible.