Brazil: Votorantim Cimentos de Corumbá cuts water consumption by 60%

The development of a sound environmental management system and employee engagement at work have provided significant changes to Votorantim Cimentos de Corumbá, Mato Grosso do Sul. In the last three years, the company has reduced by almost 60 per cent water consumption through reusing much of the spending volume in the production process.

For 2016 the company plans to end the year with a reduction of 25 per cent compared to 2015. According to Jefferson Marques Correa, Votorantim Cimentos de Corumbá's environmental advisor, the company has already achieved 12 per cent reduction in the 1H16 in relation to the volume consumed in the same period last year.

"The union and dedication of employees to the results range make all the difference. In addition, the plant is always attentive to the needs of updating the environmental management system, which enables us to perform continuous improvements that help us a lot to meet the target, " Mr Correa said.

In 2015 the company installed seven water meters as well as optimising the treatment plant and industrial water reuse, responsible for treating and reusing 100 per cent of the waste generated by the company.

To better manage the actions in the environmental area, the company also formed an environmental management committee of 12 employees to monitor various activities to identify points of attention. From these surveys, practical solutions will be develop to prevent and control events such as oil leakage, water leakage and gas emissions.

The factory also uses waste in its alternative fuel programme. Last year, the average rate of reuse achieved by the unit was 75 per cent.