A new class of cement called Portland-limestone cement (PLC) will become mainstream in Ontario and Quebec. The Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing recently announced that PLC is referenced in the Ontario Building Code (OBC).

In Quebec, the Régie du Bâtiment approved PLC as an ’alternative solution’ to General Use (GU) cement. Holcim (Canada) Inc.’s cement plants in Mississauga, Ontario and Joliette, Quebec, manufacture PLC and have been supplying the materials for customer trials with ready-mix producers and concrete product manufacturers in both provinces.

PLC has strong environmental and sustainable construction benefits. Manufacturing PLC generates significantly lower greenhouse gas emissions and up to 10 per cent fewer carbon dioxide emissions. These reductions are achieved as up to 15 per cent of the clinker used to produce regular Portland cement is replaced by limestone. Additionally, PLC shows comparable strength performance and can carry similar amount of Supplementary Cementing Material (SCM) as GU.

The manufacture of PLC at Holcim Canada is expected to reduce CO(2) emissions by 130,000t, which is the equivalent to taking more than 25,000 cars off the road or planting 3,300,000 trees, as well as reducing the dependence on virgin materials.