Sustainability: African priorities and affordability

 

 

CW: What are some of the more novel projects in the sustainable development realm that cement companies in Africa have embarked on?

RH: CSI member companies are actively pursuing opportunities to replace conventional fossil fuels with alternative fuels and biomass. By-products from domestic, industrial, or agricultural sources are ideal substitutes. As integral part of the waste management infrastructure cement kilns can provide energy and materials recovery, offering safe disposal options for many of society's wastes.

A partnership between Holcim and GTZ developed guidelines for co-processing of waste materials in cement production; these have now been translated into national guidelines for South Africa, as a first case in Africa.

In Mozambique, Cimentos de Moçambique (Cimpor) was able to obtain carbon credits under the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) to switch from coal to natural gas for heating the kiln. With regards to the protection of biodiversity, Lafarge in partnership with WWF rehabilitated its former Bamburi quarry near Mombasa, Kenya, into a natural reserve, which today houses an important number of reintroduced indigenous species and has become a center for tourism and other economic activities.

 

CW: In the near term, can Africa realistically afford environmental achievements similar to those in the developed markets?"

RH: In the cement sector, new greenfield investments deploy the most advanced state-of-the-art technologies. In this sense, with a growing stock of new production facilities in the future, Africa will be home to the most efficient cement plants.

Further environmental achievements will depend on supporting public policy, e.g. for waste management systems, which is no different from other regions in the world. Companies will have to earn their license to operate no matter whether they operate in Africa or any other parts of the world.

 

CW: Looks like Africa is some senses has the possibility of leapfrogging the technology curve and push sustainable development. We hope the vision pans out and that sustainable development stays part of the implementation as the sector expands.

 

 

The Environmental Cement Africa Conference Cape Town 2010 brings together the environmental leaders in African cement, international and African environmental organizations and African policy-makers under one roof to discuss the key challenges & issues in the African cement industry.

Taking place at Mount Nelson Hotel on 20th & 21st April 2010 in Cape Town, South Africa, the conference highlights key speakers from Lafarge, PPC, Afrisam, UNEP, Suez Cement Company, Eritrean Government, MVW Lechtenberg, Trilogy Partners and WBCSD, with an exciting agenda that focuses on waste management policy, carbon management models, alternative fuel sourcing, logistical challenges and investment opportunities important to players in the African cement industry.

Click here for more information.