In 2000, the Portland Cement Association (PCA) launched a program to foster continuous environmental improvement in the North American cement industry.

The awards program is open to any cement manufacturing plant in North America (Canada, Mexico, and the United States), and honors activities conducted during the previous calendar year (in this case, January to December 2008).

The awards honor 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.

“The actions taken by these plants and many others are at the forefront of manufacturing technology and illustrate the cement industry's commitment to produce a superior product while continuously challenging policies and procedures,” said Brian McCarthy, PCA president and CEO.

The judges selected first-place winners (as well as runners-up and finalists) in each of the contest's six categories: Environmental Performance; Land Stewardship; Outreach; Innovation; Energy Efficiency; and Overall Environmental Excellence.

Serving as judges for the 2009 Energy & Environment Awards were: John Hayden, Vice President, Environment, Safety & Health, National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association; Rebecca Hindin, Industrial Sector Partnerships, EPA, Energy Star Program; Garth Hawkins, Cement Industry Consultant for PCA; Carl Koch, Jr., Geologist, Minerals Information Team, U.S. Geological Survey; Hendrik van Oss, Director of Policy, Cement Association of Canada; and Tyrone Wilson, Director, Regulatory Affairs, PCA. Each judge is independent from the cement manufacturers competing for the awards.

OVERALL
ENVIRONMENTAL EXCELLENCE

Winner

Titan America LLC/Roanoke Cement Co.
Troutville, Virginia

Honored as a runner-up in the Energy Efficiency category and a finalist in the Environmental Performance category, the Roanoke Cement Co. plant is keenly aware that increasing efficiencies in operations reduces its environmental impact. The company has initiated several programs to meet its goal to reduce, reclaim, and reuse wastes. For example, it reuses 100% of its cement kiln dust (CKD) and is emptying its CKD landfill for use by local farmers. For the past two years, Roanoke Cement has been a recipient of the U.S. EPA's Energy Star, and in 2008 became an Energy Star partner. As an Energy Star partner, all Titan plants will submit to independent energy-efficiency monitoring that includes base lining, tracking, and benchmarking the company's energy performance. Surrounded by the Appalachian and Blue Ridge Mountains, the plant and its employees participate in several environmental community events, including a creek-clean up.

Runners Up:

Lafarge North America Inc.
Alpena, Michigan

Lafarge North America Inc.
Bath, Ontario

Finalist:

Cemex
Knoxville, Tennessee

ENVIRONMENTAL PERFORMANCE

Winner

Holcim (US) Inc.
Holly Hill, South Carolina

In 2008, the Holcim Holly Hill facility completed several notable projects that improved their environmental performance in emissions and energy consumption. For example, the plant was able to reduce the amount of CKD by 44%, compared to 2007, through better raw material analysis. The Holly Hill plant utilizes a significant amount of waste material that it generates as an alternative fuel source, saving landfill space and fossil fuels. In 2008, alternative fuels supplied 32% of the fuel requirements for the plant, the equivalent of nearly 62,000 tons of traditional fossil fuels.

Runner Up:

Lafarge North America Inc.
Bath, Ontario

Finalists:

Lafarge North America Inc.
Alpena, Michigan

Titan America LLC/Roanoke Cement Co.
Troutville, Virginia

LAND STEWARDSHIP

Winner

Cemex,
Knoxville, Tennessee

The Cemex Knoxville plant has worked with the National Resources Conservation Service, local schools and other organizations to improve wildlife habitats on their property. It worked with University of Tennessee students to preserve and dedicate the nine-acre Cabbage Island in the Holston River as a wildlife habitat. The island is home to more than 30 avian species, including bald eagle, and 16 mammalian species. Cemex also worked with the Wild Turkey Federation, the National Resource Conservation Service and Legacy Parks Foundation to locate 5.5 acres of wildlife food plots that improve nutrition of local wildlife such as white-tailed deer, wild turkey, and bobwhite quail.

Runner Up:

Cemex
Demopolis, Alabama

Finalists:

Cemex
Xenia, Ohio

Lafarge North America Inc.
Alpena, Michigan

OUTREACH

Winner

Holcim (US) Inc.
Theodore, Alabama

The Holcim Theodore facility's staff participates in a number of community and environmental outreach activities each year. For the past several years, the plant has participated in the annual Alabama Coastal Cleanup Day, a worldwide event to clean trash and debris from beaches, lakes, and streams. During the 2008 Cleanup, Holcim-led volunteers collected more than 3,000 pounds of debris from the Theodore Industrial Canal In addition to participation in community events such as Mobile Bay Derelict Crab Trap Removal Day and the Keep Mobile Beautiful electronic recycling days, the plant has a Community Advisory Committee made up of neighborhood residents. This group helps Holcim maintain an open line of communication with the local community and engages stakeholders.

Runner Up:

Lafarge North America Inc.
Bath, Ontario

Finalists:

Lafarge North America Inc.
Alpena, Michigan

Mitsubishi Cement Corp.
Lucerne Valley, California

INNOVATION

Winner

Buzzi Unicem USA
Greencastle, Indiana

The Greencastle Buzzi Unicem USA facility has found an innovative means to address a portion of their energy needs. It is the only cement plant in the U.S. utilizing spent pot liner (SPL) as an alternative fuel source. SPL, a waste product generated by the aluminum industry, traditionally has been sent to landfills. The Greencastle plant developed a dedicated storage, handling, and injection system for off-site processed pot liner. In addition to recognizing a modest replacement of coal when using the byproduct, SPT's raw material constituents also allow for modest replacement of raw materials such as sand and shale. Based on the success of the SPL project, Buzzi is exploring the possibility of incorporating additional hard-to-handle waste materials from other industries.

Runner Up:

CalPortland Cement Company
Mojave, California

Finalists:

Ash Grove Cement Company
Midlothian, Texas

Lafarge North America Inc.
Bath, Ontario

ENERGY EFFICIENCY

Winner

CalPortland Cement Company
Mojave, California

CalPortland's Mojave plant has an efficiency program that has resulted in major energy reductions, saved thousands of dollars, and prevented the emission of tens of thousands of tons of carbon dioxide. In 2008, the plant completed a “behind-the-meter” wind project that represents the largest such renewable wind project servicing a manufacturing facility in the world to date. Eight, 3-megawatt wind turbines were generate 60 million kilowatts per year of renewable energy and supply approximately 35% of the plant's annual electricity needs. This is the equivalent of powering 5,255 homes for a year.

Runner Up:

Titan America LLC/Roanoke Cement Co.
Troutville, Virginia

Finalist:

Salt River Materials
Clarkdale, Arizona