sustainable manufacturing awards - The Portland Cement Association

2010
Portland Cement Association SUSTAINABLE MANUFACTURING
SUSTAINABLE
MANUFACTURING
AWARDS
Preserving OurWorld
Energy & Environment AwardsSafety Innovation Awards
Chairman’s Safety Performance AwardsTerminal Safety Awards
pca energy & environment awards 2010
environmental spirit
In 2000, the Portland Cement Association launched a program
to foster continuous environmental improvement in the U.S.
cement industry. One element of the program is to recognize
individual facilities that have shown a commitment to continuous
environmental and energy efficiency improvement.
PCA and Cement Americas magazine presented the first
cement industry awards in 2002 to the winners for 2001. The
awards program is open to any cement manufacturing plant
in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The awards honor
activities conducted during the previous calendar year.
Since its inception, the program has relied on judges
representing diverse organizations within and outside the
industry, including federal government agencies; trade
associations; trade publications; and non-profit wildlife
conservation and environmental resource groups.
The judges for the 2010 E&E Awards Program represented the
following agencies/organizations: National Ready Mixed Concrete
Association, U.S. EPA-ENERGY STAR, U.S. EPA-Office of Policy,
Economics, and Innovation, Cement Association of Canada,
Cement Americas, U.S. Geological Survey, World Resources
Institute, and the World Wildlife Fund.
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Preserving OurWorld
Portland cement
manufacturing is
a four-step process:
1. Raw materials, including limestone and small
amounts of sand and clay, come from quarries
usually located near the cement manufacturing
plant. Limestone is typically about 80% of the raw
mix and is the source of calcium. The remaining
raw materials provide silica and the necessary
small amounts of alumina and iron.
2. The materials are carefully analyzed, precisely
combined and blended, and then ground for
further processing.
3. The ground materials are heated in an industrial
Cement or Concrete?
The terms cement and
concrete are often
misused. Cement is an
ingredient of concrete.
It is the fine powder that,
when mixed with water,
sand, and gravel or
crushed stone, forms the
rock-like mass known
as concrete. Cement acts
as the binding agent or
glue in concrete.
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furnace, called a kiln; kilns are a rotating vessel
ranging in length from 60 to more than 200 meters
(200 to >650 feet) long with a diameter ranging from 3 to 7.5 meters (10 to 25 feet). The kiln
reaches temperatures of 1,450° C (2,650° F).
The heat causes the materials to turn into a new
marble-sized substance called clinker. The kiln
flame is fueled by powdered coal, powdered
petroleum coke, natural gas, oil, and/or recycled
materials burned for energy recovery.
4. Red-hot clinker is cooled and ground with a small
amount of gypsum. The end-result is a fine powder
called portland cement. At each stage, process
data are continuously monitored to produce a highquality product, improve energy efficiency, and
minimize emissions.
Voluntary Code
of Conduct
To transform its commitment to sustainable development into consistent, tangible actions, PCA has
developed the Cement Manufacturing Sustainability
(CMS) Program. The goal of the program is to balance
society’s need for cement products with stewardship
of the air, land, and water, conservation of energy
and natural resources, and maintenance of safe work
places and communities. The centerpiece of the CMS
Program is a voluntary code of conduct, which is a set
of principles, performance measures, and a reporting
protocol, designed to guide decision making, business
practices, and operating performance in a sustainable
fashion.
The PCA Board of Directors in 1991 adopted seven
principles that call on member companies in the U.S.
to meet market demands while using environmentally
responsible practices that minimize emissions, waste,
energy consumption, and the use of raw materials.
Taken together, these principles help U.S. manufacturers to integrate the economic, social, and environmental dimensions of cement manufacturing, and
to find a balance between short-term priorities and
long-term needs.
1. The safety and health of our employees, our neighbors, and our customers is our first consideration in
the production and distribution of a quality product.
pca energy & environment awards 2010
2. We will continue to implement effective controls,
which reduce or eliminate the release of pollutants
to the air, to the land, and/or to the water.
3. We will actively seek ways to manage wastes in a
responsible and environmentally sound manner.
4. We will pursue effective improvements in
energy efficiency and promote the conservation
of resources.
5. We will seek ways to beneficially and safely utilize
recyclable wastes as raw materials, fuels, and product components as part of our overall commitment
to waste minimization and recycling.
Energy Efficiency—The U.S. cement industry
has adopted a year 2020 voluntary target of 20%
improvement (from a 1990 baseline) energy
efficiency—as measured by total Btu-equivalent
per unit of cementitious product.
With these ambitious goals, cement manufacturers
will reduce their environmental impact and energy
burden. Additional energy and environmental benefits
will be realized by the use of concrete in the construction of buildings and pavements. Portland cement
concrete is a durable product that can provide years
of benefits.
6. We will continue to conduct mining operations in
a responsible and environmentally sound manner.
7. We will participate with lawmakers, regulators, and
other interested parties in the development of rational and effective health, safety, and environmental
laws and regulations.
Environmental
Performance
Measures
The Environmental Performance Measures translate
the Cement Manufacturing Sustainability Program
Principles into action. A long-term reduction target is
identified for each key performance measure and then
progress toward that target is measured against
a baseline. Currently there are four goals approved by
the PCA members:
Carbon Dioxide (CO2)—The U.S. cement industry has
adopted a year 2020 voluntary target of reducing CO2
emissions by 10% (from a 1990 baseline) per ton of
cementitious product produced or sold.
Cement Kiln Dust (CKD)—The U.S. cement industry
has adopted a year 2020 voluntary target of a 60%
reduction (from a 1990 baseline) in the amount of
CKD landfilled per ton of clinker produced.
Environmental Management Systems (EMS)—The
U.S. cement industry has adopted a voluntary target of
at least 40% of U.S. cement plants having implemented an auditable and verifiable EMS by 2006, 75% of
the U.S. plants implementing an EMS by the end of
2010, and with 90% by the end of 2020.
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Preserving OurWorld
Environmental Performance
Winner:
Lafarge North America Inc., Sugar Creek, Missouri
The Lafarge Sugar Creek facility completed a range of projects in 2009
to increase the amount of alternative raw materials and fuels used by the
plant while continuing to keep emissions significantly below permit limits.
By connecting the plant to a third energy source in 2009, landfill gas
replaced 17% of the plant’s fossil fuels, which offsets more than 30,000
tons of carbon dioxide generated from coal combustion. Modifications to
its alternative solid fuels facility allowed the Sugar Creek plant to double
the percent of fossil fuel replacement—to 20%. In 2009, the facility utilized limestone fines from an adjacent quarry to replace more than 14%
of the limestone needs of the kiln. The plant also substitutes 35.8% of its
non-limestone raw materials with a range of non-hazardous industrial
wastes such as bottom ash, boiler slag, foundry sands, and mill scale.
By connecting the plant to
a third energy
source in 2009,
landfill gas
replaced
17% of the
plant’s fossil
fuels which
offsets more
than 30,000
tons of coal
carbon dioxide.
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This category honors
facilities that go beyond
laws, permits, and
regulations to minimize
their impact on the
environment.
Runners Up:
Holcim (US) Inc.
Theodore, Alabama
Lafarge North
America Inc.
Seattle, Washington.
Finalist:
Lafarge North
America Inc.
Alpena, Michigan
pca energy & environment awards 2010
Innovation
Winner:
Lafarge North America Inc., Tulsa, Oklahoma
In 2009 the Tulsa Lafarge plant took advantage of an alternative
fuel opportunity that builds upon a waste stream the industry has
been using for years. Most tire-derived fuel use is based on used
tires, but the Tulsa plant worked with Goodyear, Inc., to divert rubber
manufacturing waste from landfills and into the cement kiln. The plant
accepts bagged scrap rubber and malformed rubber components
which are delivered to a mid-kiln injection system by way of a highangle conveyor. In addition, the plant utilizes 100% Biogas from a
nearby landfill for the drying of raw materials and up to a 20%
substitution of the kiln fuel needs.
This category recognizes
the development and
application of innovative
technologies relevant to
environmental protection or energy efficiency.
Runner Up:
Lafarge North
America Inc.
Bath, Ontario
Finalist:
Lafarge North
America Inc.
Alpena, Michigan
Most tire-derived
fuel use is based
on used tires,
but the Tulsa
plant worked
with Goodyear,
Inc., to divert
rubber manufacturing waste from
landfills and into
the cement kiln.
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Preserving OurWorld
Outreach
Winner:
71 plant and
community
volunteers
removed more
than 1.5 tons of
debris from the
banks and
waters of
the canal.
This category honors
activities that enhance
community, employee,
and government
relations.
Runners Up:
CEMEX
Xenia, Ohio
Finalists:
Titan America LLC
Troutville, Virginia
Lehigh Hanson
Materials Limited
Edmonton, Alberta
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Holcim (US) Inc., Theodore, Alabama
The Holcim plant and its employees in Theodore support a range of
environmental projects in their community. In 2009, plant employees
were zone captains for cleanup of the Theodore Industrial Canal as
part of the 22nd annual Alabama Coastal Cleanup Day sponsored by
the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.
Seventy-one plant and community volunteers removed more than
1.5 tons of debris from the banks and waters of the canal. The plant
also worked with the Alabama Coastal Foundation in the evaluation of
the shoreline of the Fowl River. Those assessments will assist local
decision makers regarding river restoration, preservation, and
recreational uses. The plant continues to assist with the local Used
Electronics Recycling Days, which collected nearly 200,000 pounds
of unwanted electronic devices in 2009.
pca energy & environment awards 2010
Energy Efficiency
Winner:
CalPortland, Colton, California
The CalPortland plant in Colton completed several unique energy
reduction projects in 2009. The facility has a comprehensive intranet
site that displays-energy performance information in dollars, energy
units, and specific energy. Several new installation upgrades lead to
tremendous energy savings. New high efficiency separator, baghouse,
and material-handling equipment will save nearly 7 million kWh annually for finish cement grinding; the completion of a kiln air leak reduction program will save more than 5.7 million kWh; and the installation of
a new cement terminal is expected to save more than 3.7 million kWh.
These and other initiatives resulted in the plant scoring a perfect 100
through ENERGY STAR’s EPI benchmarking tool. In addition, Colton
has also established national accounts with suppliers which include
energy efficiency as part of their contracts.
This category focuses on
energy planning,
applications of efficient
technologies and practices, and climate change
mitigation efforts.
Runner Up:
Lafarge North
America Inc.
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Finalists:
Salt River Materials
Group / Phoenix
Cement Company
Clarkdale, Arizona
St. Marys Cement Inc.
(Canada) / VCNA
Bowmanville, Ontario
New high
efficiency
separator, baghouse, and
material
handling
equipment
will save nearly
7 million kWh
annually for
finish cement
grinding.
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Preserving OurWorld
Land Stewardship
Winner:
A universityassisted project
is the monitoring of a 47-acre
native grassland
habitat at a
former clay mine
that will foster
nesting habitat
for grassland
birds.
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This category recognizes
efforts to protect and
enhance the surrounding
land and wildlife.
Runners Up:
CEMEX
Lyons, Colorado
Lafarge North America Inc.
Alpena, Michigan
Finalists:
Lafarge North America Inc.
Bath, Ontario
Lafarge North America Inc.
Alpena, Michigan
CEMEX, Xenia, Ohio
The CEMEX Xenia facility has approached its land stewardship tasks
as a cooperative effort with the community, Cedarville University, and
the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. In 2009, the plant and its
partners began the first phase of the eradication of a 4.5-acre kudzu
infestation, a non-native, invasive vine. After careful evaluation,
a plant specific, systemic herbicide was selected and targeted
application completed. The eradication will help to return the area
to native vegetation and to educate the local community on kudzu
control and elimination. Another project with university assistance is
the monitoring of a 47-acre native grassland habitat at a former clay
mine that will foster nesting habitat for grassland birds. The reclamation plan is based on United States Fish and Wildlife Service and
Audubon Society guidelines, which exceed mining regulations.
pca energy & environment awards 2010
Overall Environmental
Excellence
Winner:
Lafarge North America Inc., Bath, Ontario
In 2009, the Lafarge Bath plant completed a range of environmental
and energy efficiency projects. As part of its climate change and energy
efficiency programs, university researchers have planted hybridized
willow species at the facility and other crops as possible renewable
biomass sources. The facility also worked with local farmers to raise
crops for a future trial biomass burn, and more than 950 bales of
plant material have been collected. With the installation of axial
blower technology, the plant improved kiln operation and increased the
utilization of petroleum coke, an oil refinery byproduct. This modification lowered sulfur and carbon dioxide emissions as well as fuel
consumption. With additional kiln operation and quarry changes, the
facility has nearly eliminated cement kiln dust (CKD) production.
Likewise, the CKD monofills were improved because little to no CKD
will be produced in the future. Lastly with the help of 250 local scouts,
leaders, and parents, the facility planted 3,000 trees on the plant
property for habitat restoration and climate change education
and mitigation.
This award recognizes a
facility that demonstrates
excellence in multiple
categories.
Runners Up:
CEMEX
Lyons, Colorado
Lafarge North
America Inc.
Alpena, Michigan
As part of its
climate change
and energy
efficiency
programs,
university
researchers
have planted
hybridized
willow species
at the facility
and other crops
as possible
renewable
biomass
sources.
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Preserving OurWorld
2010 Energy and Environment Award Nominees
Ash Grove Cement Company, Chanute, Kansas
CalPortland, Colton, California
CEMEX, Demopolis, Alabama
CEMEX, Knoxville, Tennesse
CEMEX, Louisville, Kentucky
CEMEX, Lyons, Colorado
CEMEX, Victorville, California
CEMEX, Xenia, Ohio
Essroc Canada Inc., Picton, Ontario
GCC of America, Pueblo, Colorado
GCC of America, Tijeras, New Mexico
Holcim (US) Inc., Theodore, Alabama
Holcim (US) Inc., Florence, Colorado
Lafarge North America Inc., Alpena, Michigan
Lafarge North America Inc., Bath, Ontario
Lafarge North America Inc., Fredonia, Kansas
Lafarge North America Inc., Kamloops, British Columbia
Lafarge North America Inc., Richmond, British Columbia
Lafarge North America Inc., Seattle, Washington
Lafarge North America Inc., Sugar Creek, Missouri
Lafarge North America Inc., Tulsa, Oklahoma
Lehigh Hanson Materials Limited, Edmonton, Alberta
Mitsubishi Cement Corporation, Lucerne Valley, California
Salt River Materials Group / Phoenix Cement Company, Clarkdale, Arizona
St. Marys Cement Inc. (Canada) / VCNA, Bowmanville, Ontario
Titan America LLC, Troutville, Virginia
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pca Chairman’s SAFETY performance awards
CHAIRMAN’S SAFETY
PERFORMANCE
AWARDS
Each year, PCA chooses the plants with the best
safety performance records and awards them with
the Chairman’s Safety Performance Award. This year,
the records of 125 portland cement plants operating in
the United States and Canada were reviewed to determine which ones achieved the best accident records
in the field. Accident rates are based on the number
of injuries and illnesses per 100 employees, and none
of these plants had an accident rate above 1. Several
of the plants had no accidents in 2009.
Three plants in three categories designated by the
number of hours that employees collectively worked in
2009 are recognized this year for achieving superior
safety records. Working to continuously improve safety
and health in the workplace, employees at these nine
plants set a standard for safety excellence that
promotes safety and health protections throughout
the year.
Less than 190,000 Employee Hours
Lafarge North America Inc.
Paulding, Ohio
Lehigh Cement Company
Cementon, New York
Lehigh Cement Company
Bellingham, Washington
190,000 – 270,000 Employee Hours
Lafarge North America Inc.
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Lehigh Cement Company
Mitchell, Indiana
CalPortland
Rillito, Arizona
More than 270,000 Employee Hours
Alamo Cement Company
San Antonio, Texas
Holcim (US) Inc.
Midlothian, Texas
Holcim (US) Inc.
Ste. Genevieve, Missouri
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Safety FollowsWisdom
Milling and Grinding
Electric Fan Motor Hoist
In this year’s Safety InnovationAwards, PCA chose plants’
innovative projects that achieve
the objectives of the Occupational
Health and Safety Committee: to
recognize and reward creative
projects in the portland cement
industry; to communicate these
ideas to North American cement
manufacturers; and to elevate the
importance of innovative solutions
to safety challenges in the portland
cement industry. Winning entries
came from four categories this
year: Milling and Grinding,
Pyroprocessing, Distribution, and
General Facility. Along with PCA,
these awards are sponsored by the
Cement Association of Canada and
Cement Americas magazine.
Repairing, cleaning, and balancing large process fans with rated
capacities in the 1750 to 3000 HP range requires rotating the fan
blades, which necessitates a lot of heavy lifting. To facilitate the job,
employees at the CalPortland Mojave cement plant purchased a small
electric motor cable hoist and fabricated a base to attach to the door
frame on the fan housing. A fabricated “fan hook” attached to a blade
works to both move and stop the blades. The hoist control is outside the
fan housing, so employees don’t come into contact with moving parts.
This innovation transformed a dirty, risky, and physically demanding job
into a standardized process that is used throughout the plant.
CalPortland
Mojave, California
Mill Motor Guard Redesign
Motivated by having to work on a cumbersome mill motor guard that
required the guard to be removed in two separate pieces, employees at
the GCC Rio Grande Tijeras cement plant designed a metal plate device
that allows the guard to be removed in one single piece. Prior to using
the newly designed piece, employees had to
position the motor guard so that bolt holes were
properly aligned with their bolts – all while standing on a ladder! The redesign involved machining
the metal plates, relocating the angle iron on the
guard door, and welding pins to the main guard
frame. The new process is safer and requires
less physical exertion.
GCC of America
Tijeras, New Mexico
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pca SAFETY innovation awards 2010
Mill Hatch Door Opening System
Even after a short period of time, mill doors tend to stick tightly due to
ball fragments, cured cement, or other materials that wedge or bind
to the door and its seal. Employees at the Ash Grove Texas plant in
Midlothian devised a new way to open mill doors. The typical way to
open the doors involves workers scaling a 38-foot diameter mill using
harnesses and lanyards, and then attempting to free the door using the
force of multiple 20 pound sledgehammer strikes. The mill hatch door
opening system uses a brace plate, a welded I-Beam, and a hydraulic
jack. The I-Beam is connected to the mill by the brace plate; the jack
is placed between the mill door and the I-Beam, and then activated to
free the door.
Ash Grove Texas LP
Midlothian, Texas
Finish Mill Door Opener
Another mill hatch door project uses a brace and a hydraulic jack
designed and fabricated by employees at Ash Grove’s Seattle cement
plant. To address the same types of injuries that occurred at its sister
plant, employees in Seattle independently devised a mechanical system
that reduced the need for employees to use a sledgehammer, thereby
removing significant strain on the body. A brace was fabricated, and
once in place, effectively removed the door in five minutes. This
design used an 18-inch of I-beam with pad eyes attached to the brace
to connect to the pad eyes on the mill. A 25-Ton hydraulic jack placed
between the brace put pressure on the mill door to complete the job.
Ash Grove Cement Company, Seattle Plant
Seattle, Washington
Mill Doors Made Easy
GCC Dakotah employed a different design to remove mill doors when
necessary. The principle was the same, though. A team of employees
working in the maintenance department at GCC in Rapid City, South
Dakota, fabricated an assembly that consisted of two mounting brackets that attach to the mill door frame. The team placed a reaction bar
next to the door and used the tool as a pushing support for a 50-ton
porta-power. Removing mill doors now is a matter of using two pins
and a few strokes of a handle to open the door.
GCC of America
Rapid City, South Dakota
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Safety FollowsWisdom
Pyroprocessing
Retrieving a Hot Sample
Employees at the CEMEX Brooksville South cement plant came up with
an innovative way to isolate the retrieval of hot-process samples and
better protect the samplers. Workers constructed a 4-sided metal building with a Plexiglas view window around the sampling port. A wench
operated by a hand crank mechanism allows the sampler to raise and
lower the retrieval device and to open and close the portal cap. By
physically separating the sampler from the portal cap with a metal
barrier, employees are never in an unsafe position.
CEMEX
Brooksville, Florida
Duct Plug
At the Holcim (US) Inc. cement plant in Midlothian, Texas, employees
were building scaffolds inside a large vertical duct to replace old refractory brick. After a piece broke away and struck an employee, the plant
developed protective equipment to prevent falling materials from hitting
people as they work inside ducts. The Duct Plug is made of a “tough
material” which is flat until it is inflated using compressed air in a
location above where employees are working. When the work is
completed, the plug is deflated and easily moved. Because of its
flexibility, the duct plug can be installed in virtually any shaped duct.
Holcim (US) Inc.
Midlothian, Texas
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pca SAFETY innovation awards 2010
Distribution
Semi-Automatic Tarping System
Hourly and salaried employees at the Roanoke Cement Company’s
Troutville cement plant identified a risk for drivers who climbed onto
flat beds of a semi-truck to load pallets of cement. In-house engineers
designed and implemented a semi-automatic tarping system that uses
a hoist and motor control to lift a tarp onto the bed and cover the pallets
for transport. The hoist mechanism eliminates the need for climbing.
The semi-automatic truck tarping station significantly reduces risk by
keeping employees on the ground while maintaining truck cycle times.
Titan America LLC
Troutville, Virginia
General Facility
Having to replace valve tube springs on a portable welder engine
prompted an employee at Ash Grove Cement Company’s Leamington,
Utah, plant to design a tool that both removed a safety hazard and
reduced the time to do the job. Compressing the valve springs manually
exposed the employee to pinch hazards and line of fire hazards if the
spring slips from the tool grip. He fashioned a new tool by welding two
one-inch “U” brackets onto a pair of vice grips. Instead of compressing
the parts by hand, the employee can use the modified vice grips to hold
and compress the valve tube springs.
Ash Grove Cement Company
Leamington, Utah
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pca TERMINAL SAFETY awards 2010
Less than 5,000 Employee Hours
Lafarge North America Inc.
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
St. Marys Cement Inc. (U.S.) / VCNA
Toledo, Ohio
Essroc Cement Corp.
Palmer, Massachusetts
5,000 to 9,000 Employee Hours
Lehigh Cement Company
Doraville, Georgia
Holcim (US) Inc.
Denver, Colorado
Holcim (US) Inc.
Memphis, Tennessee
More than 9,000 Employee Hours
Buzzi Unicem USA Inc.
Nashville, Tennessee
Lehigh Cement Company
Port Everglades, Florida
Titan America LLC
Newark, New Jersey
Canadian Terminal Award
Lafarge North America Inc.
Whitefish River, Ontario
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Safety FollowsWisdom
The Terminal Safety Award recognizes portland
cement distribution terminals with the best safety
records in North America. The performance records
of more than 230 terminals in the U.S. and Canada
were reviewed for the contest this year, and we are
awarding 10 terminals who posted the best accident
performance records.
For U.S. operations, three categories with 3 winners
each achieved this prestigious award; while a separate
category was established with one winner in Canada.
The categories are U.S. terminals with less than 5,000
employee hours; U.S. terminals between 5,000 and
9,000 hours; and U.S. terminals with more than
9,000 hours. Canadian terminals were evaluated
on the entire range of employee hours.
Employees at these facilities work to continuously
improve safety and health conditions and set a high
standard that promotes safety and health protections
throughout the year.
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