Displaying items by tag: Quality

Kenya: The Institution of Engineers of Kenya (IEK) has called for urgent measures to tackle the rising presence of substandard cement in the market, amid a reported increase in building collapses, according to The Eastleigh Voice newspaper. The institution has called for audits of manufacturers, enforcement of verification and random sampling from hardware stores and distribution centres.

In a statement, IEK said bags labelled as 50kg were often lighter, some weighing as little as 45kg. Its members had recorded compressive strength reductions of up to 25% in concrete made with some cement brands on the market, even those bearing the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) mark of quality.

US: Fortera has achieved ISO 9001:2015 certification for its ReCarb Plant in Redding, California, which produces 15,000t/yr of ReAct low-carbon cement. The international certification establishes protocols for quality management systems and ensures delivery of products and services that meet regulatory requirements. Fortera said that the certification process involved months of internal audits, documentation of operating procedures and responding to third party feedback.

India: Shree Cement's Ras quality control laboratory in Rajasthan has been recognised by the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL), affirming its compliance with the ISO/IEC 17025:2017 standards. Managing Director Neeraj Akhoury said that the accreditation acknowledges the company's commitment to providing premium, sustainable building materials. The laboratory's role in ensuring standardisation across all product testing is important for maintaining production quality at the plant.

Pakistan: The Senate Standing Committee on Science and Technology heard on 10 October 2024 that some cement producers have obtained stay orders from courts against the Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority over unpaid marking fees. The marking fees equate to 0.1% of cement’s ex-factory price, and go towards ensuring that cement conforms to standards. Pakistan Today News has reported that only two producers have regularly paid the fee, with combined defaults valued at US$18m across the entire industry. A delegation from Saudi Arabia reportedly queried authorities about the lack of clear labelling.

Science and Technology Committee chair Kamil Ali Agha reportedly said "No one knows what quality of cement is being produced by local manufacturers.”

Tanzania: The Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) has introduced a new digital verification application named Hakiki Stempu, aimed at helping consumers verify the quality of cement products and combat the sale of counterfeit and substandard cement.

Ndositwe Haonga, TRA Director for Internal Affairs, explained that Hakiki Stempu allows the public to check whether the product they are about to purchase is genuine or not by scanning the product to check if it has the right tax stamp. The app also serves as a tool for ensuring that products meet necessary standards and offer value for money.

Ghana: The Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) is set to close down several cement manufacturing firms for producing low-quality products, as part of its effort to combat substandard cement production nationwide, according to Adom Online. This initiative aligns with the protections outlined in the Ghana Standards Authority Act 2022. Currently, there are only 14 licensed cement plants in Ghana.

Director General, Alex Dodoo, said "The GSA has done research and we have noticed that some particular players believe that the only way to compete is to reduce the quality of cement. We have closed three of them and I can assure you that in the coming days a lot more will be closed down. If there is one thing we will not compromise on, it is quality.”

Ghana: The Ghana Standards Authority has enacted new quality standards for cement products. BNN Breaking News Ghana has reported that the new standards are intended to uphold safety for users of concrete buildings. This will reportedly be accompanied by increased enforcement against substandard products, including the roll-out of a new licensing system.

China: China Resources Building Materials Technology (CRBMT) subsidiary Tianyang Cement has concluded a ‘full-process intelligent cement plant’ pilot at its 2.81Mt/yr Baise cement plant in Guangxi Province. Tianyang Cement said that the pilot entailed an upgrade that has more than doubled Baise cement plant’s production volumes and reduced its CO₂ emissions per tonne of cement by 24%. Tianyang Cement says that automation has reduced the plant’s unplanned shutdowns by 56% and improved product quality.

US: Sustainable technology developer ClimeCo has welcomed the Climate Action Reserve (CAR)’s launch of the US Low-Carbon Cement Protocol. The protocol will provide guidance on quantifying, monitoring, reporting and verifying emissions reductions associated with the use of supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) in alternative cement production. ClimeCo says that this will help to establish the eligibility of various waste streams and naturally occurring materials for use in cement.

ClimeCo president and CEO Bill Flederbach said "While demand for cement has never been higher, it remains an exceptionally difficult-to-abate industry. This new protocol demonstrates the power of credible, validated and science-based voluntary carbon credits in accelerating the pace and adoption of environmental reforms. It also confirms ClimeCo's belief that, by engaging the right partners and taking a holistic approach, every industry and every company, even those facing the biggest challenges, can make a huge difference. Time is of the essence, and ClimeCo is proud to lead the way toward a brighter future."

Europe: Sustainability policy organisation ECOS says that the European Parliament must enact the recommended Sustainable Products Regulation. The parliament received the recommendation from its Environment, Public Health and Food Safety committee (ENVI). ECOS says that the regulation would submit cement to the EU's Ecodesign environmental impact framework.

Environmental Coalition on Standards (ECOS) programme manager Joren Verschaeve said “Members of the ENVI committee have voted to regulate one of the most polluting products on the market. The Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation will provide the cement industry with a stable and predictable framework towards decarbonisation.”

ECOS founded the Alliance for Low-Carbon Cement & Concrete (ALCCC), an association of companies focused on alternative building materials production, in May 2023.