USA EPA: cement CO2 emission rose 9.4% in 2012

CO₂ emissions from US cement plants increased 9.4 per cent to 35.051Mt in 2012 from 32.010Mt the previous year, according to the ‘Inventory of US Greenhouse Gas Emissions & Sinks, 1990-2012, published by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on 15 April 2014.

Clinker production rose some 10 per cent YoY to 67.784Mt during the period. However, all US cement plants operated at below-capacity levels and two works were formally closed. The cement industry is the second-largest source of industrial CO₂ emission in the US, after the iron and steel industry, says the report.

Greenhouse gas emissions from cement production increased every year from 1991 through 2006 (with the exception of a slight decrease in 1997), but decreased in the following years until 2009 due to the economic recession and associated decrease in building material demand. In 2009, cement-related CO₂ emissions bottomed out in 2009 at 29.432Mt, around 29 per cent lower than the 2008 level and 12 per cent lower than 1990. Since 2010, emissions have increased slightly as consumption picked up again.