| Climate Change and Carbon Dioxide Emissions |
Carbon dioxide is one of the main greenhouse gases responsible for global climate change. The US cement industry as a whole accounts for approximately one and a half percent of US man-made carbon dioxide emissions. Therefore, managing and reducing our carbon dioxide emissions is a key priority. Accordingly, Holcim (US) has committed to a carbon dioxide reduction target and a program of eco-efficiency. Holcim Ltd, our parent company, is committed to reducing our global average specific net carbon dioxide emissions by 20% by 2010, with 1990 as the reference year. As part of this commitment, Holcim (US) has voluntarily agreed to reduce its carbon dioxide emissions by 12% per ton of product manufactured between 2000 and 2008 as part of the EPA's Climate Leaders program. This goal is in addition to a 15% reduction of carbon dioxide emissions per ton of product manufactured, which was achieved between 1990 and 2000. |
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World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) Carbon Dioxide Protocol The WBCSD carbon dioxide protocol provides a standard methodology for monitoring and reporting carbon dioxide emissions at the plant level. Holcim (US) collects carbon dioxide emissions data at our plants in accordance with this protocol and then aggregates this data to report carbon dioxide performance at the corporate level in the US and at the global level in the case of Holcim Ltd.We monitor and report our carbon dioxide emissions according to the WBCSD carbon dioxide protocol for the cement industry. This requires us to report on five indicators. • Absolute gross emissions – the total amount of carbon dioxide emitted directly from fuels and raw materials in the cement production process • Absolute net emissions – gross emissions minus credits for indirect savings, such as use of waste materials as fuel • Absolute gross emissions from indirect energy use – the total amount of carbon dioxide emitted due to use of energy produced outside of the organization • Specific gross emissions – the total amount of carbon dioxide emitted from the cement production process per metric ton of cement produced • Specific net emissions – the net amount of carbon dioxide emissions per metric ton of cement produced Our performance in 2003 can be summarized as follows: • Absolute gross emissions: 9.949 million metric tons carbon dioxide • Absolute net emissions: 9.285 million metric tons carbon dioxide • Absolute gross emissions from indirect energy use: 1.125 million metric tons carbon dioxide • Specific gross emissions: 823 kg carbon dioxide/metric ton cement • Specific net emissions: 768 kg carbon dioxide/metric ton cement While our absolute gross and net direct, and absolute gross indirect carbon dioxide emissions have increased along with our increased production during the last 13 years, our carbon dioxide emissions on a per unit basis of production have been reduced from 950 kg carbon dioxide/metric ton cement in 1990 to 768 kg carbon dioxide/metric ton of cement in 2003. This represents a significant 19% carbon dioxide emissions efficiency improvement on a per metric ton of product basis since the base year 1990. |
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