Catalan cement companies have signed a new voluntary agreement with the Government by which they assume more stringent emissions limits of particulates and nitrogen oxides, two major pollutants that affect the metropolitan area of Barcelona.

The cement sector aims to reduce the environmental impact of its activities with the use of new technologies and the progressive increase of alternative fuels, helping to reduce CO2 emissions significantly. These are the fundamental objectives of the second voluntary agreement for the prevention and control of pollution in the Catalan cement industry signed today by the Minister of Planning and Sustainability, Lluís Recoder and Angel Cercos, president of Ciment Catala.

The employers association said in a statement that in “ an economic situation particularly sensitive for companies”  the sector assumes new efforts with the agreement, which includes more stringent limits for the emission of particulars, NOx, SO2 and other compounds derived from its activity.

The agreement provides that the replacement of fossil fuels by waste is to reach 20% in 2012 and 40% in 2015.

The same sources indicate that energy recovery from waste in cement plants in Catalonia and has avoided CO2 emissions equivalent to 40,000 cars, with 2009 data.

After the first environmental agreement of the sector with the Government EUR109m was invested to upgrading between 2002 and 2010, "this second agreement will serve to deepen the ongoing modernisation line of social responsibility that is marked industry, "says the management.

Ciment Català further emphasizes that this effort is being made at a time of decline in consumption of 70% since 2007.