Portland Cement Association (PCA) member companies' commitment to reduce carbon dioxide emissions per ton by 10 percent (from 1990 levels) by the year 2020 was recently announced by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Christine Todd Whitman in Washington, D.C., as the Bush administration launched its Climate VISION (Voluntary Innovative Sector Initiatives: Opportunities Now) program. The program is a voluntary, public-private partnership to pursue cost-effective initiatives that will reduce the projected growth in America's greenhouse gas emissions.

President Bush called on industries to set voluntary goals as part of his program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 18% over the next 10 years.

Commitments from PCA, 15 other associations, and the Business Round Table were announced at the event held at the U.S. Department of Energy. PCA was represented by its chairman, Paul Yhouse of Holcim (US) Inc.; Richard Creighton, president of government affairs; Andy O'Hare; and Mark Washko.

The cement industry is now implementing a three-part program to achieve this goal and to foster reductions by cement users. The three parts address the cement manufacturing process, production formulation, and product application:

• Reduce emissions through increased efficiency, decreased fuel use, greater use of alternative fuels, and raw materials;

• Formulate cement using a lower portion of calcinated material, thereby reducing carbon dioxide emissions per unit of product;

• Promote the use of energy-efficient concrete buildings, homes, and highways as a solution to climate change.