Environmental performance

Concrete is the second most used resource in the world after water. There is currently no practical substitute for this versatile and durable product for many of its uses. Cement, the key ingredient in concrete, is a requirement for modern societies but its production is both resource and energy-intensive.

That is why eco-efficient production – yielding more cement from fewer resources and producing less waste and pollution per tonne – is core to our business. Cement Australia is committed to continuous improvement and promoting best practice in our industry in a number of key environmental areas:

Water management

Water is primarily used in cement production for cooling heavy equipment and exhaust gases. The average water consumption of a modern dry cement plant is between 100 and 200 litres per tonne of clinker – a dramatic improvement over earlier wet process plants.

Cement Australia is committed to the conservation, protection and responsible use of water resources as an important component of our sustainable business practices.

We recognise that Australia is one of the world's driest continents, and the competing uses of water must be managed for the long-term benefit of society and conservation of the natural environment.

Click on the link below for Cement Australia's policy on the responsible use and conservation of water.

Cement Australia Water Policy (38KB PDF)

Mine management and rehabilitation

Other than fuel, the essential raw materials for cement production are limestone, marl and clay, which are extracted from our mining operations. Extraction of raw materials can affect not only the landscape and ecology in the area, but also surrounding communities.

To minimise our impact, our approach covers the planning spectrum, from identification of raw materials resources and careful planning of mining to analysis of visual impact and rehabilitation of mined areas.

Our target is to undertake Environmental and Social Impact Assessments (ESIA) meeting the standards of the Cement Sustainability Initiative developed by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development.

Energy Efficiency Opportunities

The Australian Government's Energy Efficiency Opportunities encourages large energy-using business to improve their energy efficiency by improving the identification, evaluation and resulting implementation of cost effective energy savings opportunities. Participation in the program is mandatory for the corporations that use more that 0.5 Petajoules (PJ) of energy per year. Participants in the program are required to assess their energy use and report publicly on the results of the assessment and the business response.