Displaying items by tag: Pollution

Indonesia: A barge delivering coal to Lafarge Indonesia’s cement plant at Lhoknga, Aceh has spilled around 7000t coal on a beach in Northern Sumatra. The barge was delivering coal to the plant at the end of July 2018 when it ran aground, acccording to the Antara News Agency. Lawyers representing local environmental groups have demanded that the subsidiary of LafargeHolcim be legally responsible for the cleanup operation.

Vietnam: The government of Quang Ngai has threatened to shut the Dai Viet-Dung Quat cement plant if it does not improve its dust emissions. 107 households living within 50m of the unit have been moved but more than 1600 households remain close to the site, according to the Vietnam News Agency. The 0.5Mt/yr cement plant started operation in 2015.

China: The city of Tangshan ordered cement and steel plants to shut down for five days to prevent pollution. The directive followed a forecast of heavy smog in mid-July 2018, according to a source quoted by Reuters. Tangshan, an industrial city, is located in the northeast of Hebei province.

Vietnam: Phuc Son Cement is under investigation for exploiting minerals. An inspection report by the State Audit Office has accused the cement producer of using mineral volumes higher than the amount it was licenced for in 1996, according to the Viet Nam News newspaper and Dantri. The report has been passed to the prime minister and the chairwoman of the National Assembly. The company has also been accused of causing pollution from its mining activities and not cooperating with the authorities over the investigation.

The State Audit Office estimates that Phuc Son Cement could face a US$11.7m fine for illegally exploiting natural resources and causing environmental damage. Phuc Son Cement, a joint venture between Taiwan’s Lucky Cement and a local partner, operates one of the largest plants in the country.

India: Kakatiya Cement, Sugar & Industries plans to reopen its 2.97Mt/yr cement plant at Dondapadu in Telangana following its closure on pollution grounds in October 2017. Following the installation of online SPM stack monitoring equipment and connections to the Central and State Pollution Control Board servers, the company is ‘hopeful’ that the plant will be able to restart operations by the end of April 2018. The cement producer is currently obtaining clearance from the Telangana State Pollution Control Board.

India: The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has issued a show cause notice to Parasakti Cement for processing hazardous waste like battery scrap and operating without permission. The CPCB also noted that the particulate matter emissions from clinker rollers and cement mill exceeded the revised standards, according to the Times of India newspaper. The cement plant, based at Guntur in Andhra Pradesh, has been given 15 days to remedy the situation. Previously in 2016 the company said it was complying with the emissions regulations.

India: The Maharashtra Pollution Control Board has complained about a terminal operated by UltraTech Cement at Peth Naygaon near Pune. Local residents petitioned the pollution board with claims that the trucks to the unit have been carrying raw and packaged cement without any cover, according to the Pune Mirrow newspaper. Following a study the pollution board then made an official complaint under the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act 1981 and the Environment (Protection) Act 1986. Local police are investigating the matter.

Egypt: Khaled Fahmy, the Minister of Environment, has recognised the work by subsidiaries of Suez Cement to reduce air pollution and so called ‘black cloud’ periods. The minister presented certificates of appreciation to the manager of Helwan cement plant, Ahmad Ragae, the manager of Tourah cement plant, Omar Khorshid, the manager of the Environment Department at Helwan cement plant, Ragheb Hammouda and the manager of Environment Department at the Tourah cement plant, Badry Ibrahim.

India: The State Pollution Control Board (SPCB) has recommended that Jammu & Kashmir Cements’ plant at Khrew, Pampore for causing ‘major pollution.’ However, the state government has given the state-owned cement producer time to stay open while it installs dust control upgrades, according to the Kashmir Monitor newspaper. The company employs around 1000 workers and the government is concerned about the disruption that shutting the plant would cause.

US: The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has fined the Nevada Cement Company US$0.5m for violating the Clean Air Act. According to a legal complaint the cement producer made ‘major’ modifications to its plant in Fernley, Nevada that led to significant increased emissions of NO_x, without first obtaining a permit required by the Clean Air Act and without installing necessary pollution control equipment. Nevada Cement has agreed to install new air pollution control technology replace a heavy-duty diesel truck and a diesel railcar mover at the facility with clean emissions vehicles.