Displaying items by tag: PLC

US: The Portland Cement Association (PCA) has commended the Connecticut Department of Transportation's approval of Portland limestone cement (PLC), marking its acceptance in all US states and the District of Columbia. PLC, with increased limestone content, maintains traditional Portland cement's efficacy but reduces CO₂ emissions by up to 10%. The US avoided more than 4Mt of CO₂ emissions in 2023 by using PLC and other blended cements. This achievement coincides with growing cement consumption by state transportation departments, fuelled by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

Mike Ireland, president and CEO of PCA, said "This milestone is a huge step forward for sustainable American construction. Switching to PLC promises to save millions of tonnes of CO₂. Using a lower-emission product that meets all the performance requirements of traditional cement means the construction sector can build with durability, safety and sustainability in mind."

US: Data released by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) shows that total shipments of Portland and blended cement, including imports, in the US and Puerto Rico came to an estimated 10.5Mt in June 2023, a slight decrease compared to June 2022. Of the total volume of blended cement reported in June 2023, 4.7Mt (95%) was estimated to be portland-limestone cement (PLC).

For the first six months of 2023, shipments reached an estimated 51.0Mt, a slight decrease from those for the same period in 2022. The leading producing states in June 2023 were, in descending order: Texas; Missouri; California; Michigan; and Florida. These states accounted for 40% of cement produced. The leading cement-consuming states, again in descending order, were: Texas; California; Florida; Ohio; and Illinois. They jointly received 37% of all June 2023 shipments.

Canada: Holcim subsidiary Lafarge Canada has announced that its Bath cement plant in Kingston, Ontario, is in the process of converting to the production of Holcim’s OneCem product, a low CO₂ Portland Limestone Cement (PLC) alternative. The plant currently makes general use (GU) cement.

"As the leader in the cement industry in eastern Canada, we are committed to developing our green portfolio and advancing towards a sustainable future, with OneCem as a step on the journey," said Andrew Stewart, Vice President for Cement at Lafarge Eastern Canada.

Robert Cumming, Head of Sustainability & Public Affairs for Eastern Canada, said "From 2018 to 2021 we have saved more than 140,000t of CO₂ by converting GU cement to OneCem in our plants across Ontario, Quebec and Nova Scotia - the equivalent to taking 42,891 cars off the road. With the recent conversion of the Bath Plant's GU production to OneCem, these numbers will continue to grow."