Baltsem to install equipment for neutralizing Hexavalent Chromium

The Baltsem plant (Balakliia, Kharkiv region), one of the three major cement producers in Ukraine, intends to install equipment for adding additives that neutralise hexavalent chromium to cement.

A representative of the plant disclosed this to Ukrainian News. According to him, production of cement with additives that neutralise hexavalent chromium will enable the plant to export its cement to member-countries of the European Union, where the use of construction materials containing cancerous substances is banned.

"It is our development, thanks to which we can make cement that conforms to the directive that came into force in European Union countries on January 17," the representative said.

Cement and lime are contaminated by hexavalent chromium during their production. The fact that hexavalent chromium is cancerous is one of the obstacles to export of construction materials containing it to the European Union.

Baltsem intends to export 700,000-800,000t of cement in 2005.

As Ukrainian News earlier reported, Baltsem reduced cement production by 22.4% or 33,000 tons compared with March 2004, to 114,400t.

The company produced 1.753Mt of cement and 1.314Mt of clinker in 2004.