Cement News tagged: Environmental
Second LNG-fuelled cement carrier launched
Less than six months after the first LNG-fuelled cement carrier was launched, JT Cement has launched the MV Ireland, a dedicated cement carrier powered by LNG. JT Cement is a joint venture by Swedish company Erik Thun AB and Norway’s KG Jebsen Cement. The propulsion system was supplied by Cryonorm to shipbuilders Scheepswerf Ferus Smith BV of The Netherlands. LNG as maritime fuel is by far ...
New Sandbag report claims ETS is not working
Sandbag, a UK-based think tank, has released a report about the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) and argues that the ETS has actually led to an extra 15Mt of CO 2 being released and that if the scheme had never existed emissions would be lower. The report claims that it is “perverse” companies in the cement sector have collectively received more than GBP1bn worth of spare EU allowances (EU...
Irish Cement's AF plans opposed by local Green Party
Irish Cement’s plans to convert its Limerick plant to burn alternative fuels have run into opposition from the local Green Party. Earlier in March, the CRH group company said it was seeking approval from Limerick City and County Council to burn used tyres as well as shredded plastics. However, this has been opposed by the Green Party’s James Gaffney, who unsuccessfully stood in the Irish ...
European cement industry carbon costs cannot be passed onto customers
One of the issues during the debate on the future of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (EU-ETS), is the ability (or not) of a sector to pass on to their customers costs arising from to the purchasing of CO2 allowances. “Based on a recent study commissioned to PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), it is clear that the European cement industry cannot pass through these additional carbon costs onto its ...
CEMBUREAU welcomes EC progress towards circular economy
On 2 December 2015, the European Commission adopted its ambitious Circular Economy Package, which is expected to help Europe to become more resource efficient. The package has been welcomed by Europe’s cement producers’ association, CEMBUREAU, which sees the step as essential in recycling and reusing waste from various sectors as inputs or fuels in other industrial processes such as the man...
Indonesia January sales rise 4.4%
Indonesian cement sales have begun the year on a positive note, rising by 4.4 per cent YoY in January to 5.14Mt on the back of high demand from infrastructure projects across the country "This shows that the government is able to start construction of housing and infrastructure early in the year. In addition, construction of power plants, smelters and other projects helped boost sales of ceme...
Oil prices tumble, demand rises
As the oil market is supplied with considerable volumes from US shale oil to ramped up production in Saudi Arabia and Iraq, oil prices have tumbled in the past six months. On the back of price falls, demand for oil has increased. Real Brent crude oil prices are hitting bottom prices since decades and the share of energy consumption as percentage of global GDP is 2.6 per cent, a level not se...
Spain: Cemex Lloseta sees 13,730t CO2 reduction
Cemex’s Lloseta plant in Spain reduced its CO 2 emissions by 13,730t in 2015, the company announced on the occasion of the UN World Day for Carbon Emissions Reduction, which took place on 28 January 2015. Reducing the impact of industrial activities on the environment is one of the main commitments made by Cemex, according to the company. It has an environmental policy strategy to achiev...
Bestway Cement recognised for sustainability endeavours
Bestway Cement, together with its newly-acquired Pakcem unit, was honoured for its efforts in contributing to sustainable development, when it received four awards at an award ceremony held in Islamabad, Pakistan. Bestway won the coveted awards in the categories of Green Energy Initiatives, Community Development and Service, Education and Scholarship and Employee Engagement and Volunteering, ...
BLA releases fifth sustainable development report
The British Lime Association (BLA) has released its fifth sustainable development report which presents the industry's progress in 2014. The report features case studies from member companies detailing a range of innovative projects implemented by lime producers to improve their environmental and safety performance. Commenting on the industry's recent achievements, Richard Stansfield, BLA c...
Groundbreaking for MBT resource recovery facility, USA
Entsorga West Virginia announced the groundbreaking of the US’s first resource recovery facility utilising Mechanical Biological Treatment (MBT). The state-of-the-art waste-to-solid fuel plant will be located in Martinsburg, WV, and is expected to be operational in early 2017. Entsorga WV is a joint venture between Apple Valley Waste Technologies, LLC, Entsorga USA and Chemtex International. ...
Germany's environmental advances
The recently-published "Environmental data of the German Cement Industry 2014" highlights efforts made by the German cement industry to make production as resource-efficient as possible and to further reduce emissions. "Particular mention should be made of the fact that the producers are doing a lot to preserve natural resources through the increased use of alternative raw materials and fue...
Philippines: Apo Cement Corp recognised for environmental stewardship
Apo Cement Corp, a subsidiary of the Cemex Philippines, was recently recognised for its environmental stewardship, health and safety, and community development achievements. The Apo team received the awards from the Presidential Mineral Industry Environmental Award (PMIEA) committee during the 62nd Annual National Mine Safety and Environment Conference in November. The awards included the P...
USA: Lehigh Cement welcomes Energy Star certificates
HeidelbergCement subsidiary Lehigh Hanson has announced that several of its plants have achieved the EPA’s ENERGY STAR ® certification for 2015. Lehigh’s cement plants in Leeds (AL), Union Bridge (MD) and Glen Falls (NY) all performed within the top 25 per cent of cement plants in the USA for energy efficiency, meeting strict energy efficiency performance levels set by the EPA. This is th...
Canada: climate agenda presents economic opportunity
Canada has seen a real softening in its cement market with major cement companies seeing an annual fall of 15-16 per cent, according to Michael McSweeney, president and CEO of the Cement Association of Canada (CAC). Nevertheless, further challenges remain ahead. During his presentation at the Cemtech Americas conference, held at the Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes, USA, from 7-10 Decembe...
Joule and HeidelbergCement announce partnership
Joule, pioneers in the production of liquid fuels from recycled CO2, and HeidelbergCement have announced a partnership designed to explore application of Joule's technology to mitigate carbon emissions in cement manufacturing. As part of the agreement, emissions (or offtake gas) from various HeidelbergCement factories could provide Joule with the waste CO 2 required to feed its advanced...