SKOKIE, Ill. – The Portland Cement Association (PCA) and Cement Americas magazine acknowledged the Titan America LCC, Pennsuco Complex cement plant in Medley, Fla., as part of the 2013 Cement Industry Energy & Environmental Awards honoring sustainable manufacturing practices.
The plant was a finalist the Environmental Performance, Energy Efficiency and Outreach categories. Environmental Performance honors facilities that take steps beyond those contained in environmental laws, regulations and permits to minimize their impact on the environment while the Energy Efficiency award recognizes a plant’s energy planning, applications of efficiency technologies and practices and climate change mitigation efforts.
Outreach honors facilities that strive to enhance community, employee and government relations through innovative communications programs.
In 2012 Titan America’s Pennsuco complex was recertified by US EPA as an ENERGY STAR® plant. It had three unique energy projects in 2012, which resulted in an enormous energy reduction to the plant’s overall energy usage. The plant reduced the grinding pressure at the raw mill, hence lowering the power consumption from the mill motor. A new truck wash system reduced water flow by 20 percent. In addition, the plant replaced nearly 80,000 of cement clinker with limestone, significantly reducing manufacturing-related emissions.
There are many other ways Pennsuco cement plant is improving environmental performance. It uses alternative fuel to replace fossil fuel – a win-win situation for the industry and the environment. In 2012, Pennsuco was able to replace five percent of its energy by using a locally available alternative fuel. It burned approximately 1400 tons of tires as fuel, saving 100 acres of landfill space.
Titan America’s Pennsuco plant had a tremendous year working with the agencies and the local community. It started an advocacy program in 2012 to advocate the sustainable use of cement and concrete. Some of the accomplishments of the group included building networks among local colleges and universities, meeting with cities and municipalities and helping them understanding the beneficial cement and concrete, meeting with the elected officials and lobbying for concrete products, meeting building officials and working on the building codes, and working with the contractors to promote the use of pervious concrete.
“Minimizing the environment impact of its plants and making their local communities better places are top priorities for cement manufacturers,” said Greg Scott, PCA president and CEO. “Titan went even further by giving providing information to make the community that has supported it for years a more sustainable place now and in the future.”
The Energy & Environmental Awards honor individual cement facilities that exemplify the spirit of continuous environmental improvement and support this spirit with action. These plants go beyond government regulations and local laws to ensure that their processes contribute to making their communities better places to live and work. Five categories are recognized: Outreach, Environmental Performance, Land Stewardship, Innovation and Energy Efficiency. Additionally, PCA presents a special honor to a plant demonstrating excellence in multiple categories.
The award program was created in 2000 by the Portland Cement Association as part of its environment and energy strategic plan for the U.S. cement industry. The awards honor activities conducted during the previous calendar year, and the program is open to any cement manufacturing plant in North America. Judges for the 2013 awards Program included representatives from U.S. EPA-ENERGY STAR, Wildlife Habitat Council, U.S. Geological Survey, World Wildlife Fund, and Cement Americas.
About PCA
Based in Washington, D.C., with offices in Skokie, Ill., the Portland Cement Association represents cement companies in the United States. It conducts market development, engineering, research, education, and public affairs programs. More information on PCA programs is available at www.cement.org.