April 24, 2018

Cement Industry Recognizes Leading Environmental Stewards

PCA Announces 2018 Energy and Environment Award Winners

April 24, 2018, WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Portland Cement Association (PCA) today announced the winners of the 2018 Energy and Environment (E&E) Awards, recognizing outstanding environmental and community relations efforts that go above and beyond what is required. Submissions from plants across the U.S. were evaluated and recognized for environmental efforts completed in 2017.

“The awards underscore how America’s cement manufacturers are focused on producing the highest quality product with a minimal environmental footprint,” said PCA President and CEO Michael Ireland. “The companies selected for these environmental accolades demonstrate a strong culture of innovation that results in energy efficiency and sustainable manufacturing practices. They highlight that cement companies can be green while also making world-class cement products.”

Presented at the 2018 Cement and Concrete Fly-In, the following plants were named 2018 E&E Award winners:

Innovation: Ash Grove Cement Company — Durkee, Ore.

The Durkee, Ore., cement plant is being recognized for its installation of the most advanced mercury control system known to exist at a cement plant. This was the first known full-scale application (worldwide) of a carbon absorption system of this type on a cement kiln for control of mercury. From installation in 2011 until 2017, Ash Grove has continued to make process and adsorbent changes to achieve the consistent level of 99 percent control necessary to achieve compliance with the Portland Cement National Emissions Standard for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP).

Environmental Performance: LafargeHolcim US — Holly Hill, S.C.

The Holly Hill cement plant is an industry leader in resource conservation with its practice of re-using, recycling, and co-processing recovered waste materials. The plant’s waste recovery and utilization efforts span the entire manufacturing process from alternative raw materials, to cement additives, to alternative fuel sources. Efforts to incorporate alternative materials have allowed the plant to expand its recycling capacity, make a meaningful impact on resource conservation and continue to produce a high-quality product.

Land Stewardship: CEMEX USA/Kosmos Cement Company — Louisville, Ky.

The Louisville cement plant’s efforts to provide and preserve habitat for the monarch butterfly has resulted in recognition for land stewardship. In 2017, the facility planted a native seed mix on about an acre of designated habitat land to provide food sources for the Monarch Butterfly. As a result of these efforts, the facility was presented with Gold Certification from the Wildlife Habitat Council, signifying the highest level of habitat and species conservation projects.

Energy Efficiency: CalPortland — Oro Grande, Calif.

The Oro Grande cement plant’s investments and innovative techniques are being recognized in the energy efficiency category. In 2017, the plant installed two vibrating screens to allow smaller-sized crushed rock to bypass the secondary crusher to improve crushing efficiency. The plant also made multiple process changes to the raw mill circuit to increase efficiency and reliability. The new ball mill circuit has been designed with new state-of-the-art energy efficiency technologies, including the use of mechanical cement conveyance over pneumatic conveyance. The Oro Grande plant achieved ENERGY STAR certification in 2017 and CalPortland has been recognized by the ENERGY STAR program for 14 years.

Outreach: Titan America LLC/Roanoke Cement Company — Troutville, Va.

The Roanoke Cement Company (RCC) plant’s outstanding commitment to its community has earned recognition in the outreach category. In 2017, RCC showcased its campus initiatives by hosting on-site student conservation classes and sponsoring stream cleanup events at Catawba Creek, which runs through the Troutville plant. Students collected stream data, such as sediment and nutrient information. They learned about the science of soils, “Leave No Trace” (minimization of impact) principles, and the importance of trees for water quality. Back in the classroom, the junior scientists used their data to calculate a water quality value for the creek. They will revisit the area and data will be archived to see how the water quality in the creek changes over time.

To learn more, please visit: www.cement.org/awards.

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About PCA
The Portland Cement Association (PCA), founded in 1916, is the premier policy, research, education, and market intelligence organization serving America’s cement manufacturers.  PCA members represent 93 percent of U.S. cement production capacity and have facilities in all 50 states.  The association promotes safety, sustainability, and innovation in all aspects of construction, fosters continuous improvement in cement manufacturing and distribution, and generally promotes economic growth and sound infrastructure investment.  For more information, visit www.cement.org

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