Displaying items by tag: Water
BUA Cement helps communities in Sokoto state
13 June 2022Nigeria: BUA Cement has donated a solar motorised borehole and medicines worth US$59,600 to eight host communities in Wamakko, Sokoto State. The company says that the efforts are aimed at alleviating the effects of local water scarcity and medicinal supply issues.
Progressive Planet Solutions develops new supplementary cementitious material from diatomaceous earth
10 June 2022Canada: Progressive Planet Solutions has successfully produced a new supplementary cementitious material (SCM) called PozDE from diatomaceous earth. The company says that it developed PozDE using calcium bentonite-containing diatomaceous earth from the Red Lake mine in Kamloops, British Colombia. The SCM’s seven-day and 28-day strength activity index (SAI) values are 101% and 120% those of ordinary Portland cement (OPC) respectively, while its water demand is lower at 98%.
Chief operating officer Ian Grant said “It is uncommon to see SCMs exceed the 7-day strength of the control Portland, so we are excited to see better strength while indicating lower water demand."
India: The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has entrusted Ambuja Cement Foundation with responsibility for a new watershed development project in Himachal Pradesh’s Mandi District. The work will support local farmers in increasing their production and productivity. It will be the 10th such project that Ambuja Cement Foundation has executed.
Director and CEO Pearl Tiwari said “Ambuja Cement Foundation has a long-standing relationship with NABARD, and we have been working together on watershed development in Himachal Pradesh for the past 14 years. With this new project, we are once again working to empower farmers of another district in the hilly region.”
Nepal: Residents of the Arghakhanchi, Palpa, Pyuthan and Rolpa hill districts of Lumbini Province have reported that increased contamination with residues from limestone extraction has made many traditional water sources unreliable. the Kathmandu Post newspaper has reported that Alpha Cement, BS Cement, Kanchan Quarries, Hongshi Shivam Cement, Palpa Cement, Sarbottam Cement, Satyawati Cement and Siddhartha Minerals operate a total of 10 mines in the affected districts. Springs reportedly took 10 years to recover following the closure of Arghakhanchi Cement’s Narpani quarry in 2012.
Cementir Holding achieves A- climate change rating from CDP
14 December 2021Italy: Cementir Holding has been achieved its first CDP A- rating for climate change mitigation in its operations. The producer said that the global average rating is B-, compared to B in Europe and in the cement and concrete industry globally. CDP awarded Cementir a B for water security, its first such rating in the category.
Chair and chief executive officer Francesco Caltagirone said “This achievement is a further recognition of our efforts to make our carbon footprint more sustainable. We are committed to tackling climate change and minimising our environmental impact.”
PCA announces Energy and Environment Awards 2021 winners
09 December 2021US: The Portland Cement Association (PCA) has announced the winners of its Energy and Environment Awards 2021. The awards recognise cement plants’ outstanding environmental and social efforts beyond what is required.
CalPortland’s Mojave plant in California won the Energy Efficiency award for an efficiency-increasing upgrade to its vertical roller mill, which included the introduction of a bottom hopper cone on each of its cyclones and a replacement of its mill fan housing. Argos USA’s Calera plant in Alabama won the Land Stewardship award for its conversion an 8.5ha lime kiln dust stockpile into grassland. The area now forms a vibrant ecosystem including wetland habitats. The producer also installed ponds with the additional purpose of stormwater management. Titan America’s Pennsuco plant in Florida won the Overall Environmental Excellence award for its conversion of the plant’s kiln to natural gas from coal use. The upgrade has also enabled the plant to begin to substitute alternative fuel (AF) in the kiln. The Pennsuco plant plans to produce 100% Portland limestone cement (PLC) by ‘as early as 2023.’
Other awards went to Roanoke Cement’s Troutville, Virginia, plant in the Environmental Performance category and to Cemex USA’s Victorville, California, plant in the Outreach category.
PCA President and CEO Michael Ireland said “The US’s cement manufacturers continue to focus on researching and developing new and innovative ways to reduce their environmental footprint. These accomplishments and industry commitment to carbon neutrality across the entire value chain demonstrate PCA members’ dedication to energy efficiency and a more sustainable future.”
Ambuja Cements responds to CDP Water A List 2021 listing
08 December 2021India: Ambuja Cements has celebrated the recognition of its water management practices through its listing on CDP's Water A List 2021. The company is the first cement producer to acheive the rating. It said that it succeeded through 'prudent' use of water- for instance through modular curing and concrete mix proportion adjustments - and harvesting. In addition, it continues to evolve its cement portfolio to minimise its consumption of natural resources, with a focus on water. Ambuja Cements' Sustainable Development Ambition 2030 strategy commits it to a freshwater withdrawal reduction of 15% by 2030. Its initiatives have so far saved 70Ml of water, according to the company. It called this a 'robust step' on the global path to sustainable construction and said that it will continue to advocate for environmentally friendly solutions.
Managing director and chief executive officer Neeraj Akhoury said "Water has always been the key focus area for Ambuja Cements. This achievement reaffirms our will to remain committed to address water scarcity issues in future and contribute to the establishment of sustainable tomorrow."
Canada: France-based Fives FCB has secured a contract to upgrade the grinding unit at Ciment Québec’s Saint Basile integrated plant in Quebec. The supplier will install two FCB Horomill grinding workshops with FCB TSV 5000 THF classifiers, FCB aerodecanters and flash dryers and Fives TGT process filters. It said that its mills met the customer’s specifications: namely zero water use; minimum power consumption; data processing; and full automation with rapid recipe change.
Ciments Québec president and chief executive officer Luc Papillon said “After a thorough technical review of the various technologies available today for cement grinding, we have selected the Horomill, being confident that it is the best adapted solution for our multiple cements portfolio and our quest to reduce our cement environmental footprint.”
Pakistan: The government of the Punjab will charge cement producers in the state up to US$0.93/m3 for ground water used in their cement production. The Dawn newspaper has reported that the charge will depend on water availability, and be US$0.6/m3 in water secure areas, US$0.85/m3 in semi-critical areas and US$0.93/m3 in critical areas most affected by drought. The measure aims to encourage rainwater harvesting in order to preserve water tables. The charges will fall upon Maple Leaf Cement, Gharibwal Cement, Dandot Cement, Flying Cement, Askari Cement and Fauji Cement. They will remain in force until the establishment of a Punjab Water Services Regulatory Authority and its enactment of water extraction rates.
Water recirculation initiative reuses 88 - 100% of cooling water in cement grinding in Panama in 2020
21 September 2021Panama: Panamanian cement producers reused cooling water used in cement grinding at a rate of 88 – 100% nationally in 2020. The development is part of a concerted water conservation effort first launched by Argos Panamá. The La Estrella newspaper has reported that Cementos Panamá’s Quebrancha grinding plant reduced its water consumption by 88% in five years, to 59,600m3 from 477,000m3 in 2015. The plant’s cement now has a water consumption of 100l/t, compared to 537l/t in 2015.