Switzerland: Indonesian citizens of Pulau Pari have launched a legal case against Holcim in Switzerland for its contribution to climate change. Holcim operated in Indonesia from 1971 through its subsidiary Holcim Indonesia, which Semen Indonesia acquired from the group in 2019. Pulau Pari faces increased climate change-induced flooding, including two floods in 2020. Four residents have launched the present case against Holcim for damages, funding for flood defences and positive measures towards further group CO2 emissions reduction. Indonesia-based environmental organisation Walhi, Swiss Church Aid (HEKS) and the European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR) are supporting the case.
SK Ecoplant and CMD Group to deliver ash-based building materials
South Korea: SK Group subsidiary SK Ecoplant has partnered with CMD Group to launch pilot production of building materials made using up to 60% recycled bottom ash from waste incinerators. The partners say that an exothermic reaction in the presence of non-sintered inorganic binders and expansion-reducing reactants increases the compressive strength of the end product to match that of concrete containing ordinary Portland cement (OPC).
AJU News has reported that South Korean waste incinerators produced 2.16Mt of bottom ash from 9.12Mt of waste in 2020.
Trinidad Cement employees protest at Claxton Bay cement plant
Trinidad & Tobago: Workers at Trinidad Cement’s Claxton Bay cement plant have launched a protest at the plant against an alleged breach of employment contracts. Troubled Company Reporter Latin America News has reported that Trinidad Cement has allegedly underpaid employees for more than seven years, with no cost of living allowance or gain share payments, and resulting pension miscalculations, according to a union representing the workers.
Four Vietnamese cement line projects cancelled
Vietnam: High costs have resulted in the cancellation of four planned new integrated cement lines by a local cement producer. Viet Nam News has reported that the producer in question presently faces costs of US$59.9 - 64.1/t cement, with a net loss of US$8.55 - 10.30/t. Coal prices are US$237/t, more than triple those at the start of 2022 of US$85.5/t. Gypsum and diesel prices rose by 50% over the first half of 2022. The producer reportedly attributed the coal price rise to the effects of the Covid-19 conflict and the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
