In 2000, the Portland Cement Association (PCA) launched a program to foster continuous environmental improvement in the U.S. cement industry. One element of the program is to recognize individual facilities that exemplify the spirit of continuous environmental improvement and back up this spirit with action.

PCA and Cement Americas magazine presented the first cement industry environmental Awards in 2002 to the winners for 2001. The awards program is open to any cement manufacturing plant in North America and honors activities conducted during the previous calendar year (in this case January to December 2005).

The judges selected first place winners and runners-up in each of the contest's six categories: Environmental Performance; Land Stewardship; Outreach; Innovation; Energy Efficiency; and an Overall Environmental Excellence award. As you can see from what follows, this year the awards are truly North American, with winners from Canada, Mexico, and the United States.

Servicing as the judges for the 2005 Energy and Environment Awards were: Tom Carter, Staff Vice President-Environment, Health and Safety, PCA; Angela Burton, Director, Government Affairs, Cement Association of Canada; Elizabeth Dutrow, Director, Industrial Sector Partnerships, EPA, Energy Star Program; Vincent Camobreco, Environmental Protection Specialist, EPA, Energy Supply & Industry Branch; Ed Fendley, Foreign Affair Officer, U.S. Department of State; Tom Harman, Safety Director, National Ready Mix Concrete Association; John Hayden, Vice President, Environmental Services, National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association; Carl Koch, Jr., EPA, Cement Sector Liaison; and Steven Prokopy, Editor, Cement Americas magazine.

Overall Environmental Excellence

Winner:

Holcim Apasco Orizaba Plant, Ixtaczoquitlan, Veracruz, Mexico

Because of its achievement in winning the Outreach Award and runner up status in both the Energy Efficiency and Environmental Performance categories, Holcim's Apasco plant was named the winner for Overall Environmental Excellence. In addition to the outreach activities noted below, the Orizaba facility has comprehensive environment and energy programs that take into account coordinated management systems, such as ISO 14001. The plant also has a strong land stewardship program that is typified by a community of 280 sheep that tend to the grounds.

Runner Up:

Lafarge Canada Inc.,
Bath, Ontario, Plant

Finalist:

Suwannee American Cement,
Branford, Fla., Plant

Environmental Performance

Winner:

Holcim (US) Inc., Theodore, Ala., Plant

The Theodore plant has compiled comprehensive data to demonstrate its environmental performance and improvements during 2005. Specific focus areas include opacity control, stack emission testing, continuous emission monitor installation, and reduction of carbon monoxide emissions. This Holcim facility went far beyond their legal requirements in achieving these results. The facility also utilized multiple by-products from other industries as waste minimization, natural resource conservation, and industrial ecology measures. Holcim has dramatically reduced water discharge and has nurtured vibrant wetlands on their Alabama property. In addition, the plant generates no cement kiln dust.

Runner Up:

Holcim Apasco Orizaba Plant,
Ixtaczoquitlan, Veracruz, Mexico

Finalists:

• Essroc Cement Corp.,
  Nazareth, Pa., Plant

• Suwannee American Cement,
  Branford, Fla., Plant

Land Stewardship

Winner:

Lafarge Canada Inc., Bath Ontario

Canada's Bath facility has developed a broad and effective land stewardship program. Its former CKD landfill has been transformed into a spot that nurtures the area's wildlife with a seed mix that grows wildflowers; attracts pollinating insects; and feeds deer, turkey, and other wildlife. Working with the Wildlife Habitat Council and Ducks Unlimited, Lafarge has installed multiple nesting boxes and plants around a pond to support bird, fish, amphibian, and mammal species. An old quarry is being converted into a multi-curricular children's outdoor learning center that includes trails, a pond, and a fossil hunting area. Areas around the plant grounds have been landscaped primarily with native plant species, including more than 26,000 new trees in 2005, which help absorb atmospheric carbon dioxide as a greenhouse gas reduction measure.

Runner Up:

Cemex, Wampum, Pa., Quarry

Finalists:

• St. Marys Cement Inc., (Canada),
  Bowmanville, Ontario, Plant

• Buzzi Unicem USA Inc.,
  Stockertown, Pa., Plant

Outreach

Winner:

Holcim Apasco Orizaba Plant, Ixtaczoquitlan, Veracruz, Mexico

Holcim Apasco's Orizaba Plant takes outreach to a new level. Rather than just sharing information, Holcim Apasco sustains the community with outreach efforts having a strong environmental emphasis. Out of a desire to reforest a closed quarry, the Orizaba plant established a Training Center for Agriculture and Forestry that now reaches out beyond the company property to address conservation and ecological issues in the region and provide direct employment and skill-acquisition training for community members. The plant also sponsors a Kids Ecological Vacation Camp and activities related to World Environment Day and Health, Safety, and Environmental Awareness Week.

Runner Up:

St. Marys Cement Inc. (U.S.)
Charlevoix, Mich., Plant

Finalist:

Lafarge Canada Inc.
Bath, Ontario

Innovation

Winner:

Essroc Cement Corp., Nazareth, Pa., Plant

This Essroc plant has expanded over time and grown around the town of Nazareth. Because of this evolution, the finish mill operations are located near the quarry, but both are about 1.5 miles from the pyroprocessing units. Historically this has required 162,000 truck trips per year through the town to bring limestone to the kilns and clinker back to the finish mills. In 2005 the plant devised and installed a high-tech conveyor system that transports limestone 1.7 miles from the quarry to the kilns and clinker 1.5 miles from the kilns to the finish mills. The conveyor is highly innovative in that it loops back at each end to carry materials over the same surface in both directions. It also includes two tunnels under the town and a bridge 200 feet over the quarry floor that spans 1,000 feet. Finally it is entirely covered and soundproofed for minimal environmental impact.

Runner-Up

Lafarge North America Inc.
Alpena, Mich.

Finalists

• Alamo Cement Company
  San Antonio, Texas

• Lafarge Canada Inc.
  Bath, Ontario

Energy Effieciency

Winner:

California Portland Cement Co., Mojave, Calif., Plant

In 2005, the Mojave Plant worked closely with EPA's Energy Star program to enhance its corporate energy management program and the effectiveness of its energy management team. For the second year in a row, California Portland has been named Energy Star's Partner of the Year for all industries. Specific actions at the Mojave plant include extensive benchmarking to assess performance, set goals, and implement action plans. The plant saved hundreds of thousands of dollars each year and reduced direct and indirect emissions of greenhouse gases and other compounds. Examples of focus areas include high-efficiency process equipment, electrical and lighting systems, compressed air, mechanical systems, and drives.

Runner Up:

Holcim Apasco Orizaba Plant,
Ixtaczoquitlan, Veracruz, Mexico

Finalist:

Giant Cement Holdingw, Inc.,
Bath, Pa.