Groundbreaking cement mix uses bacteria to lock up carbon: Denmark’s concrete manufacturing giant IBF and US-based startup Biomason are finalizing the development of a cement mix that replaces the conventionally used limestone base with a bacteria that traps carbon dioxide when heated for concrete production, Bloomberg reports.

How does it work? While traditional concrete relies on a cement mix called Portland — which uses limestone as a base and releases carbon dioxide — specific types of bacteria can mimic the properties of the Portland cement by drawing in carbon dioxide and converting it into calcium carbonate, according to Bloomberg. The rocks and sand known in the industry as “aggregate” are heated as normal, then combined with the biologically produced cement instead of the Portland type. The company estimates some 783 tn bacteria will be required for each production cycle, which churns out more than 725 kg of combined concrete in a process that takes three days to complete.

Big emission cutting plans: Biomason’s founder and CEO Ginger Krieg Dosier told Bloomberg that the company aims to cut CO2 emissions from global cement production by a quarter by the end of the decade. In Denmark, roughly 800 kg of CO2 is emitted for every ton of cement produced.

Shipping soon: The first batch of low-emission concrete tiles in industrial quantities will begin shipping out to Danish, Dutch, and British markets in the spring, Bloomberg writes. Among their earliest customers is department store giant H&M.

But there are still challenges ahead: The cement mix can be applied for light concrete use such as in driveways or flooring, but it does not have the tensile characteristics for application in tall buildings, the Bloomberg article explains. Significant technical challenges must be overcome before the cement can entirely replace traditional, carbon-intensive cement, according to Biomason COO Bert Bruggeman.