The Austrian cement industry is threatening to shut down its kilns temporarily if the price of legally mandated CO² certificates goes up too much.
Peter Orisich, General Director of the Lafarge Perlmooser Cement Company and President of the Cement Industry Association, said the Austrian division of his firm would be likely able to get through this year on the freely distributed CO² certificate. However, he warned that the industry faces a huge growth spurt in the coming years and it is likely that many firms will end up buying CO² emissions rights from other firms.
At the moment, the emission rights for one tonne of CO² costs Euro 22.15. If the price goes over a certain point (Orisich wouldn’t give an exact figure, but spoke of “less than Euro 30”), the kilns in Styria would be shut down and the needed cement bought from the Lafarge factory in Serbia which does not take part in the emissions trade.
Orisich said there would be no negative effect on the environment, as the kilns in Serbia are at the highest technical level (sic).
