• Energy and Fuel

Land Stewardship

Extracting any raw material takes a toll on the environment. Much has been done to minimize this impact and with new technologies and a concerted effort to work closely with the communities in which quarries reside, the industry is minimizing the disruption even further.

Limestone usually comes from a quarry at or near the plant while other materials such as clay, shale, iron ore, and sand are usually obtained from other nearby sources. Because these raw materials are among the most common on Earth, cement producers can mitigate environmental impact through careful site selection and operating procedures. At the end of their useful life, cement quarries can be reclaimed as parks, recreational areas, or other developments.

Byproducts generated during cement making are either recycled into the process or for other beneficial uses. A case in point is cement kiln dust (CKD). CKD is the material removed from the kiln exhaust gases by pollution-control devices. The industry has greatly reduced the amount of CKD disposed through process improvements. Recycling CKD offsets the use of limestone and other raw virgin materials, conserves energy, and makes good business sense. CKD that can't be recycled back into the process is either responsibly managed in a monofill on site or sold for a variety of beneficial uses. For those cement plants who use CKD monofills, proper management and closure of them is an integral part of their operations.

› Next