Bernd Scheifele, Chairman of the Managing Board of HeidelbergCement and a signer of the agreement between the two companies, said, “This open and cooperative collaboration should also send a message to our stakeholders. We will give BirdLife insight into the workings of our quarries and sand and gravel pits throughout the Group and implement biodiversity management projects at these sites together. These projects should make our impact on flora and fauna transparent, assess the effects, and deliver improved approaches that will allow us to give back to nature more than we have taken.”

Quebec has previously demonstrated its commitment to proper environmental stewardship through its introduction of the “carbon tax” on the transportation business sector.  By 2008, Quebec managed to reduce emissions by 1.2% over 1990 levels despite its population growth of 11% over the same period.

The new system will be introduced in two phases to ease the burden on industry.  2012 will be a trial year where caps will be established on companies emitting over twenty-five thousand tonnes annually, but they will not be required to meet the cap for the first year.  In 2013, however, companies that break their limit will face heavy fines as well as having their cap lowered for the following year.  It is Quebec’s goal to reduce emissions by 20% compared to 1990 levels by the close of 2020.  Minister Arcand, during a press conference, said, “The cap-and-trade system is recognized as one of the most effective and least expensive ways of reducing greenhouse gas emissions.”  He does admit, though, that the price of certain consumer goods may rise slightly due to the enactment of this law.

The Cement Association of Canada (CAC) is showing reserved appreciation for the new legislation.  The CAC is concerned that the regional law will have dire effects on the bottom line since neighboring provinces and states do not share similar legislation, but is grateful for the government’s two step introduction of the new restrictions.  CAC President Michael McSweeney said, “We understand Quebec’s decision to develop a cap-and-trade system and, given the potentially significant competitive and economic impacts of the program on our industry, we appreciate this staged approach…We reiterate our commitment to continue working with our government colleagues to develop measures that will ensure our common environmental and economic objectives are met.”  Minister Arcand continues to reject the idea that it will have any negative impact on the industries economic performance.  He said, “Because Quebec is acting as a pioneer, Quebec companies will be among the first to profit from the advantages of a system of capping and trading of greenhouse gas emission credits. They will be the first to adapt to the realities of the new carbon-free economy.”

Taking a step back, however, reveals an even broader but extremely pertinent issue.  On one hand the Environment Protection Agency (EPA) is looking at toxic emissions and their effect on the world, and tightening the emissions standards accordingly.  On other hand the EPA is ignoring half of the issue.  As the Portland Cement Association (PCA) points out, the stringent standards issued by the EPA will greatly retard industrial and economic growth, with comparatively small recompense by way of reduced environmental impact (see PCA on impact of regulations).  It remains to be seen if the PCA and its supporters will carry their point in the future or if restrictions will continue become stronger.  In either case, it is companies like Titan Cement who will be affected, and often caught in the middle.

Lehigh Permanente is the first in California and one of the first in the nation to make use of such technology.  Plant manager Henrik Wesseling said at a news conference, “We are the first cement plant in California using this progressive technology to proactively reduce our mercury emissions.”  The plant also plans to install a continuous monitoring system in the fall to collect emissions data in real time.

Some people of Cupertino and the surrounding towns still question what else the plant may be emitting.  Cupertino is gathering data and information and has a plan to hire an outside expert to analyze the results.

In response, Wesseling has said, “We take our responsibility to the community very seriously, and that’s why this project has been my top priority since my first day on the job in 2008.  I’m proud of our 70-year history here in Cupertino, and we will continue to invest in our environmental performance at this facility.”

Over the past year, the South Ferriby plant has burned more than thirty-six thousand tonnes of waste that would have ended up in a landfill.  The reduction in emissions from this recycled waste is the equivalent of the emissions of eleven thousand automobiles.

However, not all plants in the UK are experiencing such success and acceptance with their local communities.  Lafarge’s Aberthaw Works plant located in Southern Wales is finding environmental activists and local residents fighting its proposed plan to burn old tires and plastic in its kilns.  Lafarge’s plan to utilize solid recovered fuels (SRFs) would save the plant approximately fifteen thousand five hundred tonnes of coal per year resulting in a reduction of twenty thousand tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions.  Plant manage James Kirkpatrick said, “SRF has been used for over 10 years. End-of-life tyres have been used for around 30 years and increasingly so over recent years since landfilling of them became illegal in the UK.  We are basing our plans on a safe and proven technology and are aiming to provide cost-effective solutions for local waste.”

Despite these reassuring words, resident Ron Lloyd, who lives adjacent to the plant, has expressed concern over the smell and storage of the tires.  Lloyd said “alarm bells [are] ringing” and wants more information for Lafarge before they begin using the SRFs.  Environmental activist Keith Stockdale is concerned over possible “chemical and industrial pollution” released by burning this waste.  He would want strict government regulation on the plant were the proposal to be adopted.  Lafarge has plans to send out four thousand letters to local residents as well as to hold two public exhibitions to inform the public about the ins and outs of the proposed process.

Holcim Group’s ACC Limited is a prime example of this new push.  When a shipment of shampoos, creams, and powders showed up at the gates of ACC’s Kymore plant in 2007; plant officials were baffled.  They initially assumed the products were part of a human resources promotion.  However, after a call to corporate headquarters, officials were informed that the products were to be burned in the kilns as part of a test trial.

The trial was a success and since then, the Kymore plant has hauled approximately 13,500 tonnes of waste to the plant for use in burning, although accounting for just 0.3% of the total heat requirement there.  As a whole, ACC has continued this push for alternative fuels; gorging 22,000 tonnes of waste paint sludge, refinery sludge, spent alumina, plastic, old tires, etc.  In addition, ACC used another 6-7 tonnes of fly ash and slag further reducing costs and energy demands.  ACC’s thermal substitution rate, defined as the amount of energy used from alternative fuels as a percentage of the total energy used from coal and other sources, currently sits at 0.59%.  The general US average is 25% and the European average is ~45%.  Though Indian companies still have progress to be made, they have taken the first important step in that direction.