Cement firm to cut emissions

Mbeya Cement now uses ultra modern bag filters that significantly reduce stack emissions to levels that are environmentally-friendly.

The company inaugurated the new bags during a ceremony held at its plant in Mbeya at the weekend, according to information reaching The Citizen.

With the new filters, stack emission levels would be lower than the recommended ones under the 2013 Tanzania environmental regulations. 

It is also in line with industrial targets of its parent company -- Lafarge Group -- as well as global environmental standards. According to the Mbeya Cement Lafarge Tanzania chief executive officer Catherine Langrency, some 1.5 million Euros (about Sh3 billion) has been invested in project.

“The inauguration of this bag filter further underlines Lafarge Tanzania’s commitment to continue improving the plan and part of the Lafarge Group’s Sustainability Ambition 2020 which is to have responsible and environmentally friendly operations,” she said. Ms Langrency said that Lafarge has adopted the technology to ensure that power interruptions do not damage the filtering system.

“We’re working with NEMC [the National Environmental Management Council], communities around us, and our stakeholders to improve environmental conditions and lead in the cement industry in Tanzania on environmental excellence,” said Ms Langrency.

Gracing the inauguration ceremony in Mbeya, the deputy permanent secretary in the ministry of Industry and Trade, Ms Maria Bilia, commended the company for the initiative and urged Tanzanians to cultivate the culture of supporting local manufacturers by buying and utilising their products. This, she said, will help create more jobs for Tanzanians.

According to Ms Langrency, the company plans to expand its capacity to 700,000 tonnes per year. This will mean adding a new cement mill, a clinker line upgrade and a new packing plant.

The project, which will be completed in the second quarter of 2015, marks the 1st phase of the company’s expansion ambition in Tanzania and will have minimal disruptions in the production process to ensure that customers are not affected during the project implementation.

“This will increase cement production capacity, enabling us to successfully contribute to meeting the growing demand for cement products, offers and solutions to address issues of housing for all including affordable housing,” she said.

She noted that by widening the product portfolio and improving its overall production process through the investment, Lafarge Tanzania will also be able to better support the growth of the mining sector in East/South East Tanzania and infrastructure projects such as roads and ports.
Source: The Citizen, reported by Ludger Kasumuni from Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

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