Could you please provide some information about your sustainable business model?

Çimentaş considers it to ensure the use of sustainable natural resources and operations by adding alternative energy and raw material resources into its production process in its operations to be part of its business model. 

What is the importance of using alternative fuels?

The most important effect of using alternative fuels in the production process is that it both supports a more ecological production process through the replacement of fossil fuels reduces and the energy need dependent on resources supplied from abroad to a great extent, thus having an affirmative effect on the national economy. 

How long have alternative fuels been being used?

To give a general definition, alternative fuels have been being used as additional fuels in the cement industry for a period of more than ten years.

What may additional benefits of alternative fuels be?

When it comes to using wastes as alternative raw materials, this allows for reduced use of storage areas and reduction raw material amount satisfied from natural resources for cement production. 

Do you have any investments intended for this purpose at your Group’s plants?

Of our Group’s plants, the sum of investments made for the use of alternative fuels at İzmir and Edirne plants in recent years has approached 50 million TRL. And this investment is considered to be part of our environmental and social responsibility. Alternative fuels and alternative raw materials are being used as additional fuels via fully automated systems under legal licenses at our plants, thus adding value both to the environment and to the economy

What are your processes regarding the re-use of wastes?

A filter press which strains and compacts any waste concrete and concrete sludge and a recycling system which enables us to use the water so produced in the concrete production have been installed in order to reduce the waste created by the returned concrete and by the concrete sludge created in the recycling system at our Işıkkent plant. 

How do you minimise your water consumption?

Recycling systems are used in order to minimise water consumption at our plants. Fresh water consumption is ensured to minimise by using the water created by washing the vehicles or production agitator at the plants in the concrete production at certain percentages in compliance with the production standards. Waters used in production are recirculated and conveyed to the pool and used again. Water lost by vaporisation in the system is supplied from underground sources and no waste water originating from production is generated. 

What kinds of precautions do you have against the dust emission issue?

In order to prevent dust emission at our plants, all belts conveying raw materials have been covered and production agitator has been moved indoors. Closed storage areas enclosed on three sides are used for the aggregates stored in the storage areas. Automatic water spraying systems have been installed in order to prevent dust emission in the storage areas. Further, aggregates are handled from the production plants to the covered storage areas available at our plants by covered trucks and prevented from harming human health via de-dusting systems. While electro-filter systems used in the past run below the legal dust emission limits, transition was achieved to bag filters through investments of millions of liras in 2012 as they may cause dust emission in case of electricity outage. Moreover, rain water is collected and conveyed to sedimentation tanks at our plants and the water made clear as a result of sedimentation operation is used to de-dust the plant premises. 

Are there any elements which may threaten human health in the production process?

Cement, water, aggregate and concrete chemical are used in concrete production. The production process does not threaten human health as it takes place by taking the ingredients to production by covered vehicles and from silos with fully-closed filter system.

What is your policy about occupational health and safety?

How do you prevent your concrete trucks from dropping materials?

Concrete truck mixers have protective chute systems in order to prevent them from dropping concrete on the road en route. 

Why are ready-mix concrete plants close to city centres?

As ready-mix concrete is a living semi-finished product and due to its production process, it must be cast into the formwork within approximately two hours. Due to the shortness of this process, ready-mix concrete plants are usually founded at locations close to settlements. 

How is the impact which the selected production area may cause on the environment identified?

Production areas are decided upon after the Environmental Impact Evaluation process carried out by the Ministry of Environment and Urbanisation. These examinations are carried out in order to keep the environmental impact at a minimum level. 

How and by whom are emissions and other values controlled?

All emission values are below the legal limits at our plants. Our mill has completed all its legal obligations under the ‘Continuous Emission Devices Communiqué’. All gas and dust emissions are monitored on online basis by the Ministry of Environment and Urbanisation. Under the legal regulations, Dust, TOC, NOx, SO2, O2, Flow Rate, Pressure, Moisture and Line Temperature values are monitored on online basis via continuous, uninterrupted and fully-automated flue gas measuring devices for 24 hours by the Ministry. While our plant is subject to 50 mg/Nm3 as the legal dust emission value, emission values have been reduced to such minute level as 5 mg/Nm3 through bag filters at our İzmir plant. There are 93 filter systems in total all over the plant. 

Do you have any awards for environmental consciousness?

Our İzmir plant has been awarded a Golden Award in the environmental category in 2012 by the Aegean region Chamber of Industry.

What kinds of operations are carried out when the lifetime of plants expire?

After the operations carried out in the production sites, the used sites are restored to their previous situations through plantation and restoration to nature projects.