WASHINGTON, D.C.—Several cement plants were among the seventeen U.S. manufacturing plants honored with the first-ever Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Energy Star awards. The plants were honored for their superior energy efficiency performance. The six cement plants, which together represent six percent of cement production capacity in the United States, include:

• Ash Grove Cement Company plant in Chanute, Kan.
• Ash Grove Cement Company plant in Seattle, Wash.
• California Portland Cement Company plant in Colton, Calif.
• California Portland Cement Company plant in Mojave, Calif.
• Lafarge North America plant in Calera, Ala.
• Lafarge North America plant in Sugar Creek, Mo.

Auto assembly plants and wet corn milling facilities were also honored.

The awards recognize plants whose energy performance score for the past 12 months is in the top 25 percent of the industry. The score, which is based on actual energy use, is calculated using a tool prepared by EPA called an energy performance indicator (EPI). In addition, the plants must have a three-year history of complying with all applicable federal environmental regulations.

The cement industry EPI, announced last month, was developed by the EPA with the cooperation of the cement industry, technical support from Argonne National Laboratory in Batavia, Ill., and validated at several cement plants before being finalized.

“The EPA tool is a key component of the cement industry’s voluntary climate change efforts, and should assist those plants who desire to further improve their energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” said Andy O’Hare, vice president of regulatory affairs.

For more than a decade, the cement industry has been dedicated to manufacturing a superior product while continuously challenging manufacturing policies and procedures to improve energy efficiency and minimize emissions. It was among the first major industries to tackle the issue of climate change, and it has remained at the forefront of developing policies and improving the manufacturing process. In 2000, the industry created a way to measure carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, and by the year 2020, the industry plans to voluntarily reduce CO2 emissions by 10 percent below the 1990 baseline.

Additional information on the industry’s sustainable manufacturing efforts is included in PCA’s 2006 Report on Sustainable Manufacturing—http://www.cement.org/smreport06/

About PCA
Based in Skokie, Ill., the Portland Cement Association represents cement companies in the United States and Canada. It conducts market development, engineering, research, education, and public affairs programs.

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