Six cement plants received special recognition for their commitment to improving the environment and their communities at the Tenth Annual Cement Industry Environment and Energy Awards, presented by the Portland Cement Association (PCA) at PCA's Spring Meeting in Chicago, April 18, 2011.
The awards honour individual cement facilities that exemplify the spirit of continuous environmental improvement and support this spirit with action. These plants went beyond government regulations and local laws to ensure that their processes and policies contributed to making their communities better places to live and work.
"Although it is one of the most highly regulated industry sectors in the US, cement companies are consistently challenging manufacturing policies and procedures to improve energy efficiency and other environmental factors. This means not just producing a high quality product, but making the plant's local communities quality places to live and work," said Brian McCarthy, PCA president and CEO. "We take our environmental stewardship seriously and have a long history of investing in continuous improvements that are win-win for both the environment and our communities."
Listed by category, company and location are the six recognised US plants:
- Overall Environmental Excellence: Lafarge North America Inc., Tulsa, Oklahoma.
- Outreach: Buzzi Unicem, Inc., Stockertown, Pennsylvania.
- Environmental Performance: Holcim (US) Inc., Theodore, Alabama.
- Land Stewardship: Cemex, Lyons, Colorado.
- Innovation: Cemex, Demopolis, Alabama.
- Energy Efficiency: CalPortland Company, Rillito, Arizona.
In total, 27 cement plants in the US and Canada were nominated for the awards.
Judges for the 2011 awards represent independent groups such as National Ready Mixed Concrete Association, U.S. EPA-ENERGY STAR, Cement Americas and the US Geological Survey.