Petcoke ban lifted for the cement industry

The Supreme Court of India has relaxed its ban on the use of petcoke and allowed it to be used in the cement and limestone industries.

The Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) and the Environmental Pollution Control Authority (EPCA) both agreed that the use of petcoke in cement is not harmful due to the absorption of sulphur in the cement production process, according to the Financial Express.

This decision has arrived after MoEF submitted that petcoke is mainly used as a feedstock, not as a fuel. However, MoEF has been tasked with ensuring that the petcoke supplied to the cement industry will not be illegally diverted to other destinations.