Cement industry getting greener

The UK cement industry has flagged up its green credentials following the publication of its corporate responsibility report.

According to the report, the past eight years have seen a reduction in the industry's carbon dioxide emissions of 18.5% - more than two million tonnes.

This reduction was achieved in part by replacing traditional fossil fuels with more sustainable, waste-derived alternatives, which in turn lead to a 23% reduction in the quantity of fossil fuels required per tonne of cement produced.

Other factors contributing to the CO₂ reduction included using alternative raw materials, and blending cement-like materials with traditional cement. The result was the industry consuming more than one million tonnes of waste products - 10 times more than it created.

"The environment, and reducing our impact on it, has been a key focus for the industry for many years," said Mike Gilbert, chief executive of the British Cement Association. "I am pleased with the progress we have made, but even more excited by what's to come.

"The cement process is uniquely placed to make use of some wastes as fuel and raw materials."

The industry is also ahead of schedule in its attempts to meet targets set in the Climate Change Levy Agreement it signed with the government.

The aim is to deliver an overall energy efficiency improve- ment across the sector of 26.8% by 2010 against a base year of 1990.

According to the report, the industry has already achieved a 25% improvement in energy efficiency.

[Contract Journal, 26 July 2006, p. 13]