Hima Cement has temporarily closed for annual maintenance. Managing Director, Mbuvi Ngunze, said the closure is a normal annual maintenance exercise, which among other things, "takes audit of the efficiency of Electrostatic Precipitators (ESPs) as well as kiln maintenance". Mr Mbuvi said that the Kasese-based cement manufacturer has been in communication with the National Environmental Management Authority and the local community on the issue of the efficiency of the ESPs as well as other matters that affect the local community. He said the dust problem stems from the fact that the ESP’s installed at the factory, have not met the 10-year guarantee from the manufacturer. "It is a fact that the level of dust emission currently is nowhere near what it used to be in pre-privatisation period and Hima Cement is working on limiting emissions to negligible levels," he said. Published under Cement News