Stockertown recognized for Building a Legacy of Environmental Stewardship through Education and Collaboration

Since 2013, the Stockertown Plant has been certified by the WHC in recognition of the significant effort and resources the plant has committed to improve diversity of habitats on corporate lands, as well as, contributing to education and conservation.  The dedicated lands include ponds, grasslands, streams and orchards.  The various habitats have been host to multiple middle and high school students annually, with lessons developed specifically to align with Pennsylvania’s STEM education standards, and even becoming an integral part of local AP courses and science clubs. The overall goal of these efforts has been to raise student awareness about the environment and local habitats and spark their interest in environmentally related careers.

The project was recently recognized in a new Wildlife Habitat Council Success Story that explores how the corporate conservation program at Buzzi Unicem USA’s Stockertown plant in Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley has created opportunities for STEM education, CO2 reduction, employee engagement and legacy building. Read more here https://bit.ly/30J8epG

To learn more Portland Limestone Cement Type IL

Buzzi Unicem USA continues to demonstrate its commitment to environmental stewardship by achieving Wildlife Habitat Council (WHC) Conservation Certification for its Youth Fishing Days and White-tailed Deer Management projects at the Cape Girardeau plant in Cape Girardeau, Missouri.

Under these projects, representatives from the Missouri Department of Conservation as well as current and retired Buzzi employees provide instruction on fishing techniques, fish identification, and wildlife conservation at the plants Marquette Lake.  The Cape Girardeau plant has also installed trail cameras to compile an inventory of wildlife in various habitats and having employees complete survey cards documenting wildlife sightings made while using the lake and surrounding land.

“The Youth Fishing Days and White-tailed Deer Management projects are recognized as meeting the strict requirements of WHC Conservation Certification,” said Margaret O’Gorman, President, WHC. “Companies achieving WHC Conservation Certification, like Buzzi Unicem USA, are environmental leaders, voluntarily managing their lands to support sustainable ecosystems and the communities that surround them.”

Wildlife Habitat Council promotes and certifies habitat conservation and management on corporate lands through their Conservation Certification programs, taking corporate sustainability goals and objectives and translating them into tangible and measurable actions. WHC-assisted wildlife habitat and conservation education programs are found in 47 states and 28 countries.

As part of a 26 member consortium consisting of representatives of research organizations and centers, academia, a technology provider, technology end users and an environmental organization, the Buzzi Unicem Vernasca Plant is hosting a pilot‑scale project of carbon capture technology. The objective of Project CLEANKER (CLEAN clinKER) is to demonstrate the efficacy of a calcium looping system in capturing CO2 from the cement manufacturing process.

The project

The CLEANKER project was developed with the aim of building a pilot system that would capture CO₂ using Calcium Looping technology. The purpose of the research is to verify the possibility of "capturing" the carbon dioxide generated during the cement production cycle, so as to prevent it from being released into the atmosphere and thus pursuing the ultimate goal of contributing to the reduction of the greenhouse effect. The captured CO₂ can then be made available for reuse in other industrial sectors, such as synthesis processes or green fuel production, or sequestered permanently underground.

The capturing of CO₂, combined with its subsequent reuse or storage, is a key process in the European Union's greenhouse gas containment strategies. CLEANKER potentially represents an important innovation for the cement sector and for environmental protection. It can also significantly enhance the cement industry's know-how in CO₂ capture technologies. Part of the company's ongoing investments in research and development include dealing with the green transition and the associated fight against climate change.

The CLEANKER Project has completed the third year of efforts and recently released a technical report on the accomplishments, including completion of preparation to initiate the experimental phase over the next six months. Construction of the pilot system was completed in the fall of 2020 and inaugurated in Vernasca (PC) in October 2020, making it possible for this technology to be tested on an industrial scale. During the following months the system was tested, and other preliminary operations were carried out in order to ensure smooth operation of the system during the experimental phase.

More on the Project, including access to the full report, can be found at www.cleanker.eu/the-project/project-contents  For more information on project participation by Buzzi Unicem please visit Climate Change - Buzzi Unicem.

The Buzzi Unicem USA manufacturing facility in Chattanooga, TN has once again earned ENERGY STAR® certification from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, recognizing their superior energy performance among similar facilities in the industry. In fact, ENERGY STAR certified plants perform in the top 25 percent of similar facilities nationwide.

This is the thirteenth consecutive year that this facility has earned the ENERGY STAR recognition. In meeting these strict qualifications, these facilities are saving energy, saving money, and helping protect the environment by using less energy than peer facilities.

For more than 20 years, EPA’s ENERGY STAR program has been America’s resource for saving energy and protecting the environment. Today, thousands of facility owners and managers use ENERGY STAR to improve the energy performance of their buildings and plants.

Buzzi Unicem USA, Inc., Chattanooga Plant, demonstrated its commitment to environmental stewardship by achieving Wildlife Habitat Council (WHC) Conservation Certification for its Clayfield Lake Fish Management Project on plant owned property located on the Tennessee River about 1.5 miles from the plant in Chattanooga, TN.

 “The Clayfield Lake Fish Management project is recognized as meeting the strict requirements of WHC Conservation Certification,” said Margaret O’Gorman, President, WHC. “Companies achieving WHC Conservation Certification, like Buzzi Unicem USA, Inc., are environmental leaders, voluntarily managing their lands to support sustainable ecosystems and the communities that surround them.”

The Chattanooga Plant has worked for the past few years to improve the health and size of the fish population in the Clayfield lake by improving habitat and species diversity in the lake.  As a flooded former clay excavation site, the lake provided limited naturally occurring structure to support a healthy fish population.  The project focused on placement of felled trees, cut shrubbery/trees, and other aquatic habitat enhancement structures, as well as, stocking native fish species to improve food availability. During employee fishing days, the fish species length and weight, were recorded. This data was used to measure the relative health of the fish in the lake and to help determine the best courses of action to improve the fish habitat in the lake, and ultimately the health of the fish population.

Wildlife Habitat Council promotes and certifies habitat conservation and management on corporate lands through partnerships and education. WHC Conservation Certification programs take corporate sustainability goals and objectives and translate them into tangible and measurable on-the-ground actions. Through a focus on building collaboration for conservation with corporate employees, other conservation organizations, government agencies and community members, WHC programs focus on healthy ecosystems and connected communities. WHC-assisted wildlife habitat and conservation education programs are found in 47 states and 28 countries. www.wildlifehc.org

PCA honors Dave Nepereny of Buzzi Unicem USA with their prestigious Honorary Membership

At the PCA Board of Directors meeting on April 8, 2021, PCA unanimously elected Dave Nepereny to be an Honorary Member in recognition of the valued contributions made to the Association during his many years of participation.  Over his several decades of involvement in PCA, Dave very successfully served in many strategic and vital positions, including Chairman of the PCA Board of Directors, Executive Committee, Benefits and Compensation Committee, Administrative Council, Market Development Council and several other committees.  In addition, Dave also served a member of the Board of Directors for both PCA and their sister organization, the CTL Group.

Election to honorary membership in PCA is reserved only for those who, in the opinion of the Board of Directors, have rendered outstanding service to the cement industry and the Association. With his dedication to the industry and leadership skills, Dave epitomizes those who receive this distinguished recognition.

The Buzzi Unicem USA Festus Plant continues to demonstrate its commitment to environmental stewardship by achieving recertification from the Wildlife Habitat Council (WHC) for its Forestry Management Program. The Forestry Management Program is conducted on 2263 acres of plant property and has been certified by the WHC since 2014. This Program undertakes activities to protect and enhance the property’s natural forestry resources, which include enhancing wildlife habitat for a wide range of species, improving plant species composition by managing regeneration, and protecting the natural forestry resources.

“The Festus Plant Parcel is recognized as meeting the strict requirements of WHC Conservation Certification,” said Margaret O’Gorman, President, WHC. “Companies achieving WHC Conservation Certification, like Buzzi Unicem USA, Inc., are environmental leaders, voluntarily managing their lands to support sustainable ecosystems and the communities that surround them.”

Wildlife Habitat Council promotes and certifies habitat conservation and management on corporate lands through partnerships and education. WHC Conservation Certification programs take corporate sustainability goals and objectives and translate them into tangible and measurable on-the-ground actions. WHC-assisted wildlife habitat and conservation education programs are found in 47 states and 28 countries.