Displaying items by tag: government

US: Heidelberg Materials North America has won up to US$5m from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for the development of a web-based tool to generate environmental product declarations (EPDs) for ready-mix concrete and other building materials. The finances are part of a total US$160m in EPA funding for the decarbonisation of building materials.

Heidelberg Materials North America president and CEO of Chris Ward said "With this funding, Heidelberg Materials can accelerate the push for more sustainable construction materials and transparency across the industry, while also helping our customers make more informed decisions when choosing products with a lower carbon footprint."

Mexico: The government commissioned the 500t/day San Lorenzo-Tláhuac demolition materials recycling plant in Mexico City on 6 June 2024. The US$2.18m plant will produce 600m³/day of concrete, as well as concrete blocks at a rate of 2000/day. It will receive demolition materials from the Xochimilco Lagoon, where 14Mm³ was deposited following the 1985 Mexican City earthquake, as well as from current job sites in Mexico City.

Secretary of Works Jesús Esteva Medina noted that the San Lorenzo-Tláhuac plant is the first in public ownership, operating alongside privately-owned plants at Bordo Poniente and Miguel Hidalgo.

India: The Telangana State Pollution Control Board (TSPCB) has issued a closure order to Pasura Tellapur Builders for an unauthorised ready-mixed concrete batching plant at Kollur in Telangana’s Sangareddy District. The New Indian Express newspaper has reported that the order follows an inspection based on complaints by local people. The inspection showed that the Kollur plant had violated the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act and fell short of the mandatory distance of 200m from residential areas by 73%.

Canada: Threatened strike action at Heidelberg Materials North America’s ready-mix concrete plants in Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, is on hold after the company and the Teamsters Local 213 union agreed to mediation meetings. Local press has reported that the meetings will seek to draw up a new contract for workers at the producer’s ready-mix concrete plants. The union previously voted down Heidelberg Materials North America’s last and final offer in the on-going contract dispute in April 2024.

Heidelberg Materials North America said “The potential strike notice will be held in abeyance until a new collective bargaining agreement is ratified or the mediator is unable to resolve differences between the parties."

Bulgaria: The government has licensed concrete and aggregates producer Balastrieri to conduct aggregates exploration on land in Yakoviya Chiflik, Plovdiv. SeeNews has reported that the licence will last until April 2025. Balastrieri plans to invest €13,800 in exploration at the site.

US: The Department of Transportation has announced a US$5m initiative to investigate the use of steel slag in cement and concrete. This will take the form of a collaboration between the Department of Transportation and a selected US-based steel producer and university partner. The initiative seeks to reduce CO₂ emissions in the production of building materials. Prospective participants may view the grant opportunity here.

Transport secretary Pete Buttigieg said "We're proud to make this funding available to help develop the next generation of construction materials so that the future of our transport infrastructure is more resilient, more sustainable and made in America.”

Robert Hampshire, deputy assistant secretary for research and technology and chief science officer, said “This funding initiative will develop and advance innovative materials and technologies that support the nation’s goals to decarbonise the transportation sector by 2050, strengthen resilience of the nation’s transportation infrastructure, and address adverse environmental impacts created by the transportation system.”

US: Chingle has announced plans for its upcoming Etna ready-mix concrete plant in Ohio’s Licking County. Local press has reported that the Etna Township Board of Zoning Appeals evaluated the company’s plans at a meeting on 30 January 2024.

Europe: The European Commission (EC), in coordination with the UK Competition and Markets Authority and the Turkish Competition Authority, launched unannounced antitrust inspections of additives and admixtures producers in ‘several’ countries. The EC said that the inspections form a preliminary step in an investigation of suspected anticompetitive practices.

US: The US Department of Energy has awarded C-Crete Technologies US$2m in funding. C-Crete Technologies is developing a method for using CO₂ captured at industrial sources or from the air as an ingredient in its cement-free concrete. The binder will produce almost no CO₂ and continue to absorb more CO₂ from the air over time. It offers scalability and cost-parity with conventional cement for concrete producers, according to the developer.

C-Crete Technologies president Rouzbeh Savary said “We are committed to crafting a cement-free, carbon-negative ready-mix concrete that doesn’t just mitigate CO₂ emissions but actively contributes to reversing climate change. Our aim is nothing short of revolutionising this hard-to-abate, carbon-heavy sector.”

Bahamas: Partanna Global has unveiled its first carbon negative, climate-resilient Home for the World in Nassau. The residence will remove 182.6t/yr of CO₂ from the atmosphere. It is the first of 30 planned units, as part of a project to eventually build 1000 Homes for the World in partnership with the Bahamian government.