Cemex has announced the completion of a new water recycling system atits Balcones quarry near New Braunfels, Texas, USA, will result in 90 per cent less water used annually than previously used by the quarry's wash plant.
The state-of-the-art system will decrease the building materials company's environmental impact and reliance on water pulled from nearby sources.The water recycling system is a key component to the Balcones quarry's recently-updated and expanded wash plant, which cleans the aggregates used in concrete and asphalt.
The new, fully automated water recycling system uses and recycles 12,000 gallons of water per minute to separate aggregate sand fines, which are then reclaimed from the water stream as useable sand product. The water recycling system decreases the need for additional local water and adds efficiency to wash plant operations.
"The new water recycling system at Cemex's Balcones quarry is the first-of-its-kind in our operations and was constructed to reduce reliance on local aquifers, which are extremely important water sources for the more than two million local residents and businesses," said Scott Ducoff, Cemex USA regional president for Texas and New Mexico. "We're proud of the updates our team has made at the Balcones quarry, and expect a positive impact on our surrounding communities."
"This project represents Cemex''s continued commitment to integrating safety and sustainability practices into our operations and to minimise our environmental footprint in the communities in which we live, work, and operate," said Ignacio Madridejos, Cemex USA President.
Wildlife Habitat Certification
Meanwhile, Cemex announced that several of the company’s facilities in Mexico and USA have earned Wildlife Habitat Council (“WHC”) Conservation Certification for their conservation programmes, as well as for their wildlife education and environmental protection efforts.
WHC has not only certified 15 programs at Cemex's facilities in the USA, but also -for the first time - certified three programmes in Mexico.
The certified facilities include the company’s Center Hill Mine, Clinchfield Cement plant, and Victorville Cement plant in the USA; and Cemex’s Atotonilco Cement Plant, Huichapan Cement plant, and flagship El Carmen Conservation Programme in Mexico, which receives this international certification while celebrating 15 years of continued scientific research, habitat preservation, and species restoration.
