Ecocem welcome new EAD on blended cements
New European Assessment Document marks significant step forward for Ecocem ACT technology
ECOCEM, specialist providers of low-carbon cement technologies, have welcomed the publication of the new European Assessment Document (EAD) on blended cements.
A major milestone for the commercialization of low-carbon cements in Europe, the EAD provides regulatory clarity, confirming that Ecocem’s breakthrough ACT technology meets recognized technical requirements for the European construction market.
It opens the way for Ecocem, and other providers of low-carbon cement technologies, to pursue the European Technical Assessment (ETA) route and obtain CE marking to brings these innovative technologies to market.
ACT is Ecocem’s breakthrough low-carbon cement technology developed over more than a decade of research, with demonstrated CO2 reductions of up to 70%, on a globally scalable basis, compared with traditional European cements.
The company is currently constructing the first production line for ACT at its new €50 million facility in Dunkirk, France, planned to begin commercial operation in late 2026. This is part of a wider €220 million investment programme to significantly expand the company’s low-carbon cement production facilities by 2030.
Commenting on the milestone, Ecocem’s founder and managing director, Donal O’Riain, said: ‘The publication of this EAD is a major milestone for Ecocem, our ACT technology and for the wider cement and construction industries. It means that the performance, durability and safety criteria for this technology are now formally defined under a recognized European regulatory route.
‘With this milestone achieved, we are accelerating the commercial rollout of ACT in Europe and forging the pathway for global deployment, including in developing countries where low-carbon cement solutions are urgently required.’
Developed by the European Organisation for Technical Assessment (EOTA), the EAD is a harmonized technical specification that formally defines the rules, methods, and criteria for assessing the performance of blended cements in Europe.
EAD 150080-00-301 on blended cements with high filler content, ground granulated blast-furnace slag or pozzolanic material or both, and clinker has been cited in the Official Journal of the European Union. Ecocem obtained ETA 23-0877, issued by Cerema, in December 2023, which now allows the company to submit its application for CE marking in order to bring its ACT technology to market.
Ecocem say they will continue to work closely with national authorities and standards bodies to secure the inclusion of ACT in the National Annexes of concrete standards across targeted European markets, adding that this new EAD establishes a robust and recognized technical foundation that will significantly facilitate these market-acceptance processes.
