The Generalitat ratifies that Catalan factories have reached 100% achievement of all atmospheric emission limit values during 2023

The Aggregate Report corresponding to 2023 of the Voluntary Agreement signed between the Department of Territory and Sustainability of the Generalitat and Ciment Català highlights, once again, the good environmental conduct of Catalan factories. The draft of the Report, which will be approved soon, confirms that, as in previous years, 100% achievement has been achieved in all the emission limit values ​​for each of the sources emitting into the atmosphere. These emission limit values ​​do not exceed the emission levels associated with the use of the best available techniques established by the European Union.

Regarding particle emissions from channelled sources of the furnaces, the annual average, obtained in the different plants, has been well below the established objective value (<50% in all cases). As for the rest of the contaminants from these sources, they are also below the objective values ​​established in all plants. As for the rest of the sources, other than the ovens, all the plants are also below the established objectives.

These results are a direct consequence of the investments that Catalan cement factories have been making in recent years. In fiscal year 2023, the industry invested €6,249,775.88 in environmental improvements, reaching levels like those of recent years, and with a certain increasing trend since 2016.

The main investments during 2023 have been the recovery of waste in cement manufacturing as the use of alternative fuels (energy recovery); improving energy efficiency; and the prevention and reduction of particle emissions into the atmosphere from material storage, handling and transportation operations, and noise reduction.

The annual aggregate reports are already a tradition of voluntary Conventions and Agreements in the environmental and sustainability field between the Generalitat and the cement sector in Catalonia, represented by Ciment Català. These Conventions and Agreements (three in total with their extensions) have been in force since 2002, when the first of them was signed, and have continued until now.