Growing infrastructure needs worldwide have created an unprecedented demand for concrete. Its production results in high GHG emissions, the primary focus of research and mitigation strategies in the sector. However, emissions of air pollutants and the economic burden of resultant health consequences are not yet known. Here, we show worldwide concrete production contributes approximately 7.8% of nitrogen oxide emissions, 4.8% of sulfur oxide emissions, 5.2% of particulate matter emissions smaller than 10 microns and 6.4% of particulate emissions smaller than 2.5 microns. Economic valuation of the damages from these and GHG emissions total ~75% of the cement and concrete industry current value. Commonly discussed GHG emissions mitigation strategies can halve these costs but, under certain scenarios, may increase local air pollution and associated health damages. These findings highlight potential synergies and trade-offs between GHG mitigation and improvements in local air quality, with implications for the political feasibility of different mitigation options.

全球范围内不断增长的基础设施需求对混凝土产生了前所未有的需求。其生产导致高温室气体排放，这是该行业研究和减缓战略的主要重点。然而，空气污染物的排放和由此带来的健康后果的经济负担尚不明确。在这里，我们显示出全球混凝土生产贡献了大约7.8％的氮氧化物排放，4.8％的硫氧化物排放，5.2％的小于10微米的颗粒物排放和6.4％的小于2.5微米的颗粒排放。这些和温室气体排放造成的损害的经济价值总计约为水泥和混凝土行业现值的75％。通常讨论的温室气体减排策略可以将这些成本减半，但在某些情况下，可能会增加当地的空气污染和相关的健康损害。这些发现强调了温室气体减排与改善当地空气质量之间的潜在协同作用和取舍，这对不同减排方案的政治可行性产生了影响。