Displaying items by tag: Water

China: Authorities in the province of Hunan have identified a cement plant as the source of thallium contamination in the Leishui River following a botched demolition at the end of 2024, according to Sixth Tone news.

Yongxing County officials said that rainfall had washed thallium-laden dust from a dismantled kiln into the river. Levels peaked at 0.13μg/L, exceeding the national standard of 0.1μg/L, but have since returned to safe levels. The nearby city of Chenzhou is reportedly a hub for non-ferrous metal mining and processing, and a number of Chinese cement plants have begun to process industrial solid waste in recent years. According to Peng Yingdeng, a researcher at the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, this method is a common approach for hazardous waste disposal, but can lead to high concentrations of thallium salts in the kiln’s residue. The owner of the plant, Hunan Liantian Cement, added solid waste management to its list of businesses in September 2024.

The local government has despatched teams to apply chemical treatments to the affected areas, with water quality since returning to safe levels. Local residents’ drinking water was reportedly not affected.

India: Dalmia Cement (Bharat) plans to expand its cement plant in Mylavaram, Andhra Pradesh. The producer will invest US$321m to to more than double the plant’s clinker capacity from 4.6Mt/yr to 12.6Mt/yr, its cement grinding capacity from 2.6Mt/yr to 7.6Mt/yr and its waste heat recovery capacity from 12MW to 28MW.

The Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board will hold a public hearing on 27 March 2025 over the plans, the New Indian Express newspaper has reported. Local residents have raised allegedly ‘unaddressed’ issues, including disruptions to watercourses, increased dust pollution and possible structural damage from increased blasting.

Zimbabwe: The Zimbabwe National Water Authority (ZINWA) has addressed public concerns about the potential environmental impact of a new US$1bn cement plant being established in Magunje by Labenmon Investments and West International Holdings. Amid fears of pollution to the nearby Kemureza Dam, ZINWA has assured residents that the project will not compromise the water source that serves over 10,000 people.

During an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) consultation in Chinhoyi, ZINWA’s head of corporate communications and marketing, Majorie Munyonga, emphasised that the cement plant will rely on boreholes for its water needs, thereby safeguarding the dam. The project is currently undergoing further EIA stakeholder consultations to integrate community and environmental considerations.

The Herald newspaper has reported that the initiative by Labenmon Investments is expected to generate around 5000 jobs. However, the Zimbabwe National Organisation of Associations and Residents Trust (ZNOART), representing the concerns of Magunje and Hurungwe residents, has petitioned for a reassessment of the site to mitigate any adverse impacts on the local ecosystem, health and livelihoods. It has stressed the importance of compliance with the Environmental Management Act and the Zimbabwe National Water Authority Act.

Colombia: Cemex Colombia has reported that 90% of the water used at its Santa Rosa grinding plant in 2024 to date came from non-fresh water sources, including rainwater harvesting and water recycling systems. Additionally, the plant operates with zero water discharges. UK-based Environmental Resources Management (ERM) supported the development of the current water management protocol for the plant.

India: Residents of Kamrup, Assam, have petitioned the district government to block Taj Cement’s plans to build a new 1Mt/yr grinding plant at Chamata Pathar. The residents’ petition cites groundwater and ecological concerns over the plan. The Sentinel newspaper has reported that the plant will be the third cement facility in the immediate area. The area adjoins the Amchang and Pabitora Wildlife Sanctuaries.

The Greater Dimoria Citizens’ Protection Committee said “The current cement factories have already taken a toll on our environment and health. The proposed Taj Cement plant will only make matters worse, putting our lives and the nearby wildlife sanctuaries at risk.”

India: UltraTech Cement has conserved 105m³ of water in the 2024 financial year, achieving a status of five times water positive. The company's water management strategy includes the installation of rainwater harvesting systems and zero liquid discharge plants at several manufacturing units to enable 100% reuse of treated water.

Changes are underway in South Asia’s second largest cement sector, with two legal developments that affect the industry set in motion in the past week. At a national level, the Competition Commission of Pakistan recommended that the government require cement producers to include production and expiry dates on the labels of bagged cement. Meanwhile, in Pakistan’s largest province, Punjab, a new law tightened procedures around the establishment and expansion of cement plants. At the same time, the country’s cement producers began to publish their financial results for the first nine months of the 2024 financial year (FY2024).

During the nine-month period up to 31 March 2024, the Pakistani cement industry sold 34.5Mt of cement, up by 3% year-on-year. Producers have responded to the growth with capacity expansions, including the launch of the new 1.3Mt/yr Line 3 of Attock Cement’s Hub cement plant in Balochistan on 17 April 2023. China-based contractor Hefei Cement Research & Design executed the project, including installation of a Loesche LM 56.3+3 CS vertical roller mill, giving the Hub plant a new, expanded capacity of 3Mt/yr.

Pressure has eased on the operating costs of Pakistani cement production, as inflation slowed and the country received a new government in March 2024, following political unrest in 2022 and 2023. Coal prices also settled back to 2019 levels, after prolonged agitation. Pakistan Today News reported the value of future coal supply contracts as US$93/t for June 2024, down by 2% over six months from US$95/t for January 2024.

Nonetheless, cost optimisation remained a ‘strong focus’ in the growth strategy of Fauji Cement, which switched to using local and Afghan coal at its plants during the past nine months. Its reliance on captive power rose to 60% of consumption, thanks to its commissioning of new waste heat recovery and solar power capacity. During the first nine months of FY2024, the company’s year-on-year sales growth of 14% narrowly offset cost growth of 13%, leaving it with net profit growth of 1%.

Looking more closely, the latest sales data from the All Pakistan Cement Manufacturers Association (APCMA) shows a stark divergence within cement producers’ markets. While exports recorded 68% year-on-year growth to 5.1Mt, domestic sales fell, by 4% to 29.4Mt. The association further breaks down Pakistani cement sales data into South Pakistan (Balochistan and Sindh) and North Pakistan (all other regions). Domestic sales dropped most sharply in South Pakistan, by 6% to 5.16Mt. In the North, they dropped by 3% to 24.2Mt. Part of the reason was a high base of comparison, following flooding-related reconstruction work nationally during the 2023 financial year. Meanwhile, the government finished rolling out track-and-trace on all cement despatches during the opening months of the current financial year, and commenced the implementation of axle load requirements for cement trucks. APCMA flagged both policies as potentially disruptive to its members’ domestic deliveries, amid a strong infrastructure project pipeline.

Pakistani producers suffer from overcapacity, but have established themselves as an important force in the global export market. They continue to locate new markets, including the UK in January 2024. Lucky Cement was among leading exporters overall, with a large share of its orders originating from Africa.

On 17 April 2024, the government of Punjab province set up a committee to assess new proposed cement projects, with the ultimate goal of conserving water. Falling water tables are considered a significant economic threat in agricultural Punjab. Besides completing an inspection by the new committee, proposed projects must also secure clearance from six different provincial government departments and the local government. While acknowledging the necessity of the cement industry, the government insisted that it will take legal action against any cement plant that exceeds water allowances.

Pakistan’s cement plants have grown in anticipation of a local market boom. Without this strong core of sales, underutilisation will remain troublesome, especially in North Pakistan where exposure is highest. At the same time, APCMA has given expression to the perceived lack of support affecting production and distribution. For an industry with expansionist aims, new restrictions on its growth and operations can feel like an existential menace.

Malaysia: Borneo Cement Sabah expects to commission its US$417m integrated Nabawan cement plant later in 2024. The project additionally involves the construction of energy, road and water infrastructure. Malay Mail Online News has reported that Borneo Cement Sabah is a joint venture of Setia Alam and state-owned Sabah Economic Development Corporation, with investment from China National Building Material subsidiary Sinoma.

General manager Michael Kinsuan said that Borneo Cement Sabah will hire 1000 workers for the plant.

India: Protestors from Bilaspur District have opposed the transfer of water from the Ali Khad stream to Ambuja Cements’ Darlaghat cement plant in neighbouring Solan District. A group of local farmers and village officials have successfully suspended water transfer to the plant from the stream at Trivenighat. The Times of India newspaper has reported that the Darlaghat plant will draw an estimated 1Ml/day of water from the Ali Khad stream. Protestors say that this would be enough to dry the stream, turning the area in Himachal Pradesh into a ‘desert.’ The Ali Khad stream currently waters 24 wells and seven irrigation networks, upon which 50,000 people depend.

Argentina: Throughout the second half of 2023, Holcim Argentina estimates that it will use 75% renewable energy. The milestone is the outcome of an agreement signed with 360 Energy in April 2023, under which the renewable power provider contributes to the energy mix at all of Holcim Argentina’s cement production facilities. Holcim Argentina says that the deal will help to eliminate 68,600t/yr of CO₂ from its operations. The producer said that it also invested in upgrades to help reduce its water consumption by 6% throughout 2023.

Holcim Argentina has invested US$1m in on-going and planned upgrades to its facilities, and plans to invest a further US$4.9m.