Blue Circle in the lead with early climate change agreement

"BLUE Circle Cement and other members of the British Cement Association (BCA) have made the cement industry one of the country's first major energy-consuming sectors to reach an agreement with the Government over reducing its carbon dioxide emissions.

Blue Circle's UK cement-making operations are part of an agreement the BCA has signed with the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions, committing the industry to cutting its emissions of greenhouse gas by more than a fifth of 1990 levels by 2010. Under the agreement, BCA members will receive an 80% rebate on the climate change levy, which is due to come into force next month.

'This is a landmark agreement, reached after extensive negotiation, to which we are committed,' said Blue Circle Cement's UK operations director, Rob Davies. 'The agreement we have signed with the Government reflects this long-term commitment to the environment. We will be working to implement it as agreed, to capture the considerable environmental and commercial benefits it offers for our business and the communities where we operate.'

The company plan to achieve the reductions in CO2 emissions through investment in new production equipment, increasing energy efficiency and increased use of alternative fuels such as scrap tyres and packaging waste.

In the last three years Blue Circle have completed major upgrades costing more than œ75 million at their factories at Cauldon, Dunbar and Hope. The company are currently awaiting final permission to build a new œ180 million cement works in the Medway valley, Kent."