Lower Carbon Cement
Part of Lower Carbon Construction
To support the Company’s carbon reduction strategy, it was necessary to make fundamental changes to our 70-year-old portfolio of Portland CEM I Bulk and Packed cement products.
Traditional Portland CEM I cements are made up of ~92% clinker which is produced by burning limestone and silica materials at high temperatures in a kiln. This production process results in carbon dioxide emissions arising from the de-carbonation of limestone and combustion of fuels.
To reduce the carbon footprint of the product portfolio, Irish Cement has been replacing traditional Portland CEM I cements with new CEM II low carbon cements since 2006. Between 10% and 20% of the clinker is being substituted by ground un-burnt limestone in the new CEM II lower carbon cements, reducing carbon emissions. Limestone was chosen as the main substitution due to it being readily available locally at both sites, ensuring consistency and security for the future.
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Irish Cement CEM II products have been specifically formulated and produced in accordance with the European standard EN197-1 to give the same performance as their CEM I predecessors whilst simultaneously addressing the need for a more sustainable product portfolio.
CEM II cement products are available in Bulk and Bagged form from the Irish Cement facilities in Platin, Drogheda and Castlemungret, Limerick.
As part of this product portfolio redesign for carbon reduction, our focus will also include an increased use of Supplementary Cementitious Materials (SCMs) such as Slag and Fly ash.
Part of a bigger story
