Displaying items by tag: Environmental Protection Agency

US: The Environment Protection Agency (EPA) has fined Lehigh Cement’s Mason City plant in Iowa US$198,000 for alleged violations of the Clean Air Act. The agency alleges that the company exceeded Clean Air Act emissions limits, failed to submit required reports to the state and failed to conduct required testing of equipment. The EPA also determined that air pollution from the facility may affect nearby overburdened communities. Under the terms of the settlement with the EPA, Lehigh Cement is required to conduct additional air emissions testing to demonstrate ongoing compliance with the Clean Air Act.

US: The Environment Protection Agency (EPA) has awarded Cemex USA's Miami cement plant its 11th consecutive Energy Star or its on-going energy efficiency and sustainability efforts.

President Jaime Muguiro said "Sustainability and conservation are ingrained in our operations and our business, so we constantly seek opportunities to decrease our energy use and reduce environmental impacts." He added "Our team at our Miami cement plant is helping to set the standard for our industry, demonstrating what can be possible, and we are proud of their ongoing environmental performance and commitment."

Ghana: The High Court of Ghana has ordered the Empire Cement Ghana to stop all activity related to building a new cement plant in the southern part of the McCarthy Hills. It has forced this until a hearing takes place for an injunction application by the McCarthy Hill Residents Association, according to the Ghana News Agency. The site was previously raided by Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) agents and the police in late June 2021 after a tipoff by local residents. The association alleges that the Chinese-run plant project has been misusing a temporary permit from the EPA to manufacture cement as a mandate to instead start installing equipment at the site.

Ghana: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) agents and police have raided China-based Empire Cement’s McCarthy Hills cement plant in Accra. The Ghana News Agency has reported that the facility had entered cement production without a licence. The authorities stopped operations at the site and dismissed the staff, including Chinese nationals. Previously, local residents had complained about potential environmental concerns at the site.

US: Italy-based Buzzi Unicem subsidiary Lone Star Industries has concluded a settlement with the US Department of Justice, the Environmental Protection Agency and the state of Indiana over Clean Air Act violations at its integrated Greencastle plant in Indiana, dating from 2010 to the present day. The Indy Star newspaper has reported that under the terms of the settlement the producer must pay a fine of US$700,000. The authorities ordered the company to upgrade the plant in line with state and federal pollution regulations. The violations involved emissions of particulate matter that exceeded state and federal limits.

US: The Portland Cement Association (PCA) has received the 2021 Energy Star Partner of the Year award from the US Environmental Protection Agency and the US Department of Energy. It is the second year in a row the association has been recognised in this way. Each year, the Energy Star program recognises a group of businesses and organisations that have made outstanding contributions to protecting the environment through superior energy achievements.

“The PCA and its members are proud to be recognised for continuously improving energy efficiency to reduce emissions,” said PCA President and chief executive officer Michael Ireland. “The cement and concrete industry is leading the way towards a more sustainable future as PCA and its members are developing an industry roadmap across the entire value chain to reach carbon neutrality by 2050."

In addition to PCA’s Partner of the Year recognition, two PCA member companies, CalPortland and Cemex USA, earned corporate Partner of the Year awards and 13 US cement plants earned Energy Star certification for superior energy performance in 2020.

US: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has awarded CalPortland’s Rillito cement plant in Arizona with its ninth consecutive Energy Star. Efforts towards energy intensity reduction at the plant included: replacing two preheater tower cyclones, installing 11km of new belting to a quarry belt conveyor, replacing the kiln baghouse fan and dust collector bags, increasing the plant’s focus on energy efficiency by expanding its energy team, conducting more frequent energy meetings and communicating energy efficiency best practices throughout the plant.

President and chief executive officer (CEO) Allen Hamblen said “CalPortland is pleased to accept the EPA’s Energy Star 2020 certification in recognition of our energy efficiency efforts at the Rillito plant. We continue to demonstrate our commitment to environmental stewardship and Energy Star while also reducing our energy costs through the hard work of our employees and our corporate energy management culture.”

US: Grupo Argos subsidiary Cementos Argos has said that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has awarded Energy Stars to its 1.1Mt/yr Harleyville, South Carolina cement plant and its 1.7Mt/yr Roberta, Alabama cement plant. This signifies that both plants are in the top 25% of US integrated cement plants for energy efficiency.

Legal and sustainability vice president María Isabel Echeverri said, “We are delighted to be granted again these certifications, which reaffirm our commitment to sustainability and to give value to our society. The responsible use of energy is an essential pillar of our company and we work every day in the development and implementation of technologies that enable efficient use and strategic management of this resource.”

US: Cemex has announced that its De Zavala and Tyler cement terminals, both in Texas, have received the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Energy Star certification for energy efficiency. The De Zavala terminal reduced its energy intensity by 53% between June 2015 and June 2020, while the Tyler terminal reduced its intensity by 39% over the same period, both exceeding their five-year targets of a 10% reduction.

US: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has declared Cemex USA an Energy Star Partner of the Year, the highest award for energy-efficient production in the US. Cemex USA President Jaime Muguiro said, “Sustainability is embedded in our day-to-day operations and is an integral part of our core business strategy. Energy conservation is part of our vision as we are building a better future and believe it’s our responsibility to vigorously practice energy management through on-going initiatives and the use of alternative fuels.”

Cemex USA has earned more than 50 Energy Stars since 2007.