The Monitoring Commission of the Voluntary Agreement for efficiency in the use of resources, and the transition towards a Circular Economy of the Catalan cement industry between Ciment Català and the Department of Climate Action, Food and Rural Agenda of the Generalitat has validated that In 2021, the Catalan plants have reached 100% achievement in all the emission limit values for each of the emission sources 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 EU.
During a telematic work session held this March, the Commission approved the results of the Aggregate Report. Among them, it is worth noting that during 2021 environmental investment has been made, focusing efforts mainly on the recovery of waste, the improvement of energy efficiency, the reduction of visual impact, the reduction of diffuse particle emissions and the reduction of noise emissions, up to a total of 7.4 million euros.
In terms of particle emissions from channeled sources from the kilns, the annual average, obtained in the different plants, has been well below the target value set (<50% in all cases). With regard to the rest of the pollutants, from these sources, all the plants are also well below the established target values.
Regarding the use of waste, 44.5% of energy substitution of fossil fuels has been reached, due to a greater availability of competitive alternative fuels. However, the forecast for 2020 was 60%, which has not yet been reached. For its part, material recovery has also increased and has led to a significant rise in the number of tons of natural waste exploitation avoided.
The Commission, headed by Marc Sanglas, General Director of Environmental Quality and Climate Change of the Generalitat, and Salvador Fernández, president of Ciment Català, has representatives from the Waste Agency of Catalonia, from the departments that oversee from the Generalitat the environmental control of activities and the fight against Climate Change, and by directors of the 4 cement manufacturing companies that operate in Catalonia.