By Adam Verwymeren, Networx Homeowners might soon be able to
scrub the air around their cities of harmful pollution, and the
best part is, they don’t even have to lift a muscle to help out.
California-based Boral Roofing is marketing a new smog-eating
roofing tile that they hope can help make pollution a thing of
the past. The science behind the tiles is simple: "The key
ingredient is titanium dioxide," said Kayla Kratz, product
manager for Boral Roofing. The titanium oxide is embedded in the
surface of the tiles, which reacts with sunlight, causing
harmful nitrogen oxide to be converted into harmless nitrates.
In fact, those nitrates aren’t just harmless; they’re actually
beneficial fertilizers that get washed down onto your yard every
time it rains, adding an extra benefit to homeowners who install
the tiles. For those worried about chemical reactions with smog
happening on their roofs, don’t sweat it, the company says.
Titanium dioxide is a common substance that most people interact
with daily -- it’s in t