Cement is usually seen as a negative in this respect however at Torc we use various products to reduce our use of cement and therefore our carbon footprint. We currently substitute up to 15% of the cement content with silica - a bi-product of the steel and power industries. The addition of these substitutes increases the overall strength of the pot, improves sulphate resistance, decreases permeability and reduces the water requirement.
We also use a percentage of glass sand which comes from recycled bottles. We are currently working closely with a local recycling company, AAL Recycling, trialing various recycled sand products with the aim being that all of our sand will be recycled in the near future.
Our pots are thrown by hand in layers, which reduces material waste to zero as we ensure there is always a pot on the wheel to be able to use any left-over material - we are extremely precise in batching to avoid waste. Because of both the compressive and flexural strength of the mix our products are extremely durable and should last a lifetime. Due to the strength of our mix, it also allows us to use far less material than traditional cast products therefore further reducing our use of cement. As our product is a cement-based mix there is no requirement for heat in the curing process. We do not use ovens or furnaces which are traditionally used to fire clay pots (consuming large amounts of energy) - we cure our products by hydration!
When it comes to transportation, we now use recycled bio-plastic made from bamboo to package our products.
Last but by no means least our pots become a home for trees and shrubs helping to absorb carbon and clean the planet!
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