Praise for improving environmental performance

THE UK minerals industry and the cement industry in particular have been praised by the Environment Agency for the continuing improvements in their environmental performance.

Speaking at the recent launch of the Environment Agency’s ‘Spotlight on Business: environmental performance in 2003’, the Agency’s chief executive, Baroness Young, commended the good performance of the UK minerals sector and in particular the role cement kilns play in recovering other industries’ waste; in 2003 some 150,000 tonnes of industrial waste were utilized as substitutes for traditional cement kiln fuels such as coal or petcoke.

Highlighting one specific cement works, the Spotlight report also praises the efforts of Lafarge Cement UK for significant investment in a new bag filter at the company’s Aberthaw plant in South Wales, which has further improved local air quality.

Commenting on the report, Mike Gilbert, chief executive of the British Cement Association, said: ‘For the third year in a row the Environment Agency has praised the performance of the minerals sector with special mention of the cement industry’s contribution.

‘It is especially pleasing to see that the Agency has chosen to acknowledge the contribution that cement kilns can make to a more sustainable future by recovering energy from other industries’ waste.

‘All four UK cement manufacturers are committed to delivering the highest environmental standards, each investing significant sums on improved plant performance and new facilities.’

Mr Gilbert added: ‘A positive conclusion by the Environment Agency following its consultation on refining the operation of the Substitute Fuels Protocol, will, in future, allow the cement industry to contribute even more as a key part of the Government’s waste strategy.’