Cement News tagged under: Environmental

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State probing cement dust incident

28 September 2006, Published under Cement News

The state Department of Environmental Protection is looking into a weekend equipment malfunction at the Lehigh Cement Co. plant in Maidencreek Township, a spokeswoman said. As workers tried to fix a problem at the plant Sunday, limestone dust was released into the air. It drifted into a neighborhood, covering cars, lawns, homes and trees. About 10 homes were affected along Buena Vista Road. DEP spokeswoman Sandra J. Roderick said Tuesday that the department is aware of the situation. She ...

Thomaston residents at odds with Dragon Cement over dust

22 September 2006, Published under Cement News

State environmental officials are trying to decide if the Dragon Cement plant in Thomaston is doing things the right way. Dragon is trying to deal with a long-time problem of dust. Two large dust piles have built up over the years, under previous owners. Critics blame the dust for a variety of health and environmental problems Last year, Dragon covered the piles with soil and grass. Now its asking the state board of environmental protection to approve its plan to monitor air and water qual...

Holcim again named "Leader of the Industry" in the Dow Jones Sustainability

15 September 2006, Published under Cement News

Holcim Ltd has again been named “Leader of the Industry” in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index and has thus been acknowledged as the company with the best sustainability performance in the building materials industry for the second year in succession. This renewed recognition underscores the fact that Holcim’s sustainability performance satisfies the high expectations placed on global corporations. Holcim has been included in both the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index and the Dow Jo...

The Lafarge North America plant in Calera, Ala.recognised for energy efficiency

15 September 2006, Published under Cement News

The Lafarge North America plant in Calera, Ala. is one of seventeen first-time recipients of EPA’s Energy Star award in recognition of their energy-efficient operations that prevented approximately 3 billion pounds of greenhouse gas emissions. The manufacturers’ efforts not only cut pollution, but also lowered energy consumption and reduced costs.     The U.S. manufacturing sector consumes about one-third of the energy used in the United States and contributes about 28 per cent of U.S. gre...

Dragon Products fines, consent pacts approved

14 September 2006, Published under Cement News

Two state Board of Environmental Protection consent agreements with Dragon Products Co have been approved, one involving a $12,300 fine for air emissions violations at the cement maker’s Thomaston plant in 2004 and 2005.    A separate agreement, including a $1,860 fine for a violation in Kennebunk, was approved Thursday at a BEP hearing in Augusta.    Both consent agreements were unanimously accepted by the board, according to Terry Hanson, administrative assistant to the board. Eight memb...

Near cement factories, high rate of larynx cancer

12 September 2006, Published under Cement News

Cement found to contain high level of toxins – one area sees 3.5 times national average. The So-myeon district in Yeongwol, Gangwon Province, houses many cement factories. It also has a larynx cancer rate more than three times the national average. The National Institute of Environmental Research (NIER) has launched an investigation in connection with the matter. According to National Cancer Center (NCC) data, which was obtained by The Hankyoreh yesterday, in the relatively s...

Ontario cement plant receives environmental award

12 September 2006, Published under Cement News

Lafarge Canada Inc. recently received an award to recognize the environmental programmes at its cement plant in Bath, Ont, reports HazMat Magazine.  The Portland Cement Association (PCA) bestowed the 2005 Land Stewardship Award on the plant in recognition of environmental activities undertaken, including continuous environmental improvements to the facility, a wildlife habitat, and the planting of 26,000 new trees on the property. According to plant manager Michael Klenk, the pl...

Tyres a wasted resource no more?

12 September 2006, Published under Cement News

Unsightly and unhealthy tyre waste is all around us, yet we still falter over plans to clear the ever-growing heaps. As a nation that loves cars, we inevitably discard huge heaps of old tyres. Unfortunately, very few of them are recycled into things like rubber asphalt, reclaimed rubber and spongy flooring; most end up as eyesores and pest-breeding grounds. The irony of it all is that at least two companies have use for old tyres  and in large amounts too, but they are getting t...

Oamaru: a new cement plant at Weston would meet all regional and national air

11 September 2006, Published under Cement News

A new cement plant at Weston would meet all regional and national air quality standards, if it is built by Holcim (New Zealand) Ltd. That undertaking is given in the latest information sheet on the cement plant and its associated quarries being investigated by Holcim.    Building a US$200m cement plant and opening quarries for limestone, sand and coal is one of four options being considered by Holcim to meet a growing demand for cement. Other options are redeveloping Holcim’s Westport plant...

Cement found to contain high level of toxins – 6 of 10 samples had dangerous levels of heavy metals

11 September 2006, Published under Cement News

A considerable quantity of cement produced in South Korea contains a high degree of hexavalent chromium plating (Cr6+), a heavy metal that can cause not only allergies but also cancer if it comes into contact with human skin or is accumulated within the body. The Korea Cement Industrial Association (KCIA) announced the findings, which come from a six-month analysis performed by the Korea Institute of Ceramic Engineering & Technology (KICET) between June and November last year. This is the f...