BLA releases fifth sustainable development report

14 January, 2016

British Lime Association reports on the industry’s environment and safety performance in 2014

THE British Lime Association (BLA) has published its fifth annual sustainable development report which presents the progress made by the industry during 2014.

Building upon the wider sustainable development initiative established by the BLA’s parent organization, the Mineral Products Association, the report features case studies from member companies detailing a range of innovative projects lime producers have implemented to improve their environmental and safety performance.

Highlights of the report include a 49% reduction in waste sent to landfill, further decreases in NOx and SO2 emissions, as well as a 40% reduction in the number of lost-time incidents.

Richard Stansfield, chairman of the British Lime Association, said: ‘As an industry, we have continued to invest heavily through very challenging economic conditions to make UK lime production both efficient and sustainable.

‘Lime producers have made some significant and beneficial changes to the lime manufacturing process. From introducing systems that use waste heat to power the plant to constructing anaerobic digesters on site, the industry is finding new and innovative ways to reduce its environmental impacts.’

With annual sales of UK lime and dolime currently standing at approximately 1.25 million tonnes, some 20% below pre-recession levels, Mr Stansfield warned that the coming years would be a fragile stage in the industry’s recovery, particularly with the perilous state of the steel industry – the largest single lime-using sector – and the significant threat posed by EU ETS reform.

‘All these issues will pose huge challenges,’ said Mr Stansfield. ‘We stand ready to face these but the Government must play its part in supporting this vital local industry by reducing the regulatory burden to enable us to remain competitive. We shall continue to work together to further reduce our environmental impacts, operate sustainably and ensure all of our employees are safe, year on year.’