Sustainable water solution for cement production
28 August 2024
The Cemex plant in Santa Rosa, Colombia, South America, said it reached the 90% benchmark for non-potable water use in its cement production, which the Mexico-based concrete, construction materials and aggregates producer said will be vital to reaching its net-zero 2050 goals.
A concrete pouring demonstration at the 2024 World of Concrete show in Las Vegas, Nevada, US. (Image: Mitchell Keller)
Cemex said the ‘non-fresh’ water – as in, water not suitable for human consumption – is sourced from rain runoff, recycling systems and zero water discharges (engineered systems where all water is recovered during a process and contaminants are reduced to solids).
“The protocol for verifying water management at the plant was developed in collaboration with [UK-based] Environmental Resources Management, the world’s largest advisory firm dedicated to sustainability,” added Cemex.
The company added the initiative was part of its Future in Action (FIA) programme, which seeks to find sustainable solutions through circularity and natural resource management.
Cemex reduced its emissions in France in 2023
Also as part of the FIA programme, Cemex announced this month that it achieved a 10% reduction in 2023 (compared to 2021) in carbon emissions from French aggregate and concrete transport services.
The company said it relied on route optimisation, lower-carbon fuel alternatives and modern technology to achieve the decrease. A unique solution was also used for aquatic transport.
“In river transport, pushers use hydrogenated vegetable oil instead of diesel,” noted Cemex. Rail transport solutions included increasing the number of wagons to reduce highway traffic, while Cemex’s motorway trucks were also replaced with biogas or biofuel options.
A natural gas powered Cemex truck. (Image: Cemex)
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