According to a report by the Generalitat, during the 2018 financial year the Catalan cement industry invested € 3,656,883.96 in environmental improvements, mainly focused on the energy recovery of waste, in the reduction of particulate emissions from cement kilns, in the increase in energy efficiency and the decrease in visual impact. In 2018, environmental investment was higher than in 2017 (€ 2,852,454.50). The follow-up meeting of the Voluntary Agreement signed between the Department of Territory and Sustainability and Ciment Català on November 8 highlighted, in addition, that it can be considered that the companies associated with Ciment Català comply with the determinations of the decision to Execute the EU Commission 2013/163 / EU, of March 26, 2013, establishing the conclusions on the Best Available Technologies (BAT) for cement manufacturing. It was also certified that the environmental objectives for emissions have been 100% met.
It was also found that the level of energy substitution has been affected, during 2018, by the lack of availability of competitive alternative fuels (more quantity and variety) that has resulted in the replacement percentage being maintained (30.57%) , and that is located at levels far from those initially raised (40%). Today it is difficult to achieve this goal of 60% energy recovery in 2020.
In the working session, they also began to design and future actions related to the improvement of communication with the environmental administration about facilities inspection criteria. The implementation of information initiatives in society to transmit the environmental behavior of factories was also endorsed. Finally, the Generalitat and the cement industry also work to promote the energy recovery of waste to avoid its destination to incineration or landfill and simultaneously reduce CO2 emissions.