Cemex Mexico has been recognised for its achievements in the reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and use of alternative fuels in its operations by the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources of Mexico (SEMARNAT) and the government of the Mexican state of Nuevo Leon.

As part of the Greenhouse Gas Effect Program in Mexico (Programa GEI México), SEMARNAT granted Cemex Mexico the GEI-2 award for its progress in the management of GHG emissions and compliance with a verified inventory.

Additionally, the Tepeaca and Guadalajara cement production plants received the GE-3 award for reducing their GHG emissions and achieving certified performance indicators of carbon emissions management. The Tepeaca Plant reduced its emissions by 233,000t of CO2, while the Guadalajara Plant reached a reduction of approximately 200,000t of CO2.

The GHG Effect Program in Mexico is meant to create abilities to measure GHG and is managed by SEMARNAT and the Commission of Private Sector Studies for Sustainable Development (CESPEDES) of the Business Coordination Council (Consejo Coordinador Empresarial.)

The Government of the Mexican state of Nuevo Léon awarded Cemex Mexico the Nuevo Léon Award for the Mitigation of GHG Emissions, in the Alternative Fuel Substitution category.

The award was given for the strategy to coprocess the Inorganic Portion of the Urban Solid Waste (FIRSU® in Spanish), which is obtained by identifying inorganic waste material such as paper, plastics and textiles, which cannot be recycled due to its conditions. This waste is then compacted and shredded to become an alternative fuel for use in cement kilns.

With this strategy, Cemex supports since 2012 the clean disposal of inorganic material that comes from non-recyclable solid waste from communities, contributing to reduced landfill saturation and CO2 emissions, while also promoting recycling and coprocessing.

Currently, Cemex coprocesses FIRSU® in its Mexican facilities of Atotonilco, Ensenada, Guadalajara, Huichapan, Merida, Tepeaca, Yaqui, Zapotiltic, the Federal District, and Monterrey.