As an essential partner of the Cement Sustainability Initiative (CSI) in India which is a member-led programme of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), ACC honours its commitment to make continued efforts to achieve the time-bound targets of the Low Carbon Technology Roadmap for the Indian Cement Industry leading to the years upto 2050 through the following five key levers:
ACC is among the first Indian companies to include commitment to environmental protection as one of its corporate objectives. Long before pollution control norms and regulatory laws came into existence, ACC inducted the use of sophisticated high efficiency pollution control equipment for cement kilns, raw mills, coal mills, power plants and coolers. That was in 1966. Today each ACC factory has high efficiency state-of-the art pollution control equipment and devices.
Energy is a prime concern. We have made significant strides in attaining energy efficiency through our captive power plants and the pursuit of building our capacities in clean renewable energy sources such as wind energy farms
ACC has achieved spectacular results in the utilization of two hazardous and pollutant industrial wastes - namely slag from steel plants and fly-ash from thermal power stations - to make blended cements that offer unique advantages to concrete. We were first in the use of waste sludge from the fertiliser industry to make cement. ACC is now actively engaged in the promotion of alternate fuels and raw materials and in co-processing waste materials through effective use of cement kilns.
Each of our cement plants has its own success story of tree plantation, greening activities, horticulture, flower and fruit cultivation and water conservation. Tree plantation and green belt development programmes have been extended to cover areas in the vicinity of our plants for the benefit of the local community. Afforestation programmes in used mines have helped transform the barren and dry ambience into lush greenery.
With an avowed policy to maintain Zero Water Discharge, we continuously seek better ways to manage our water resources efficiently. The water used in plants for industrial cooling is recycled through cooling towers, water ponds and tanks. Our cement plants have converted old abandoned mines into huge reservoirs by collecting rainwater from catchments around mines. As a result, we have several outstanding examples of achievements in water harvesting and in the creation of reservoirs in abandoned mines and quarries.
Our long standing expertise in mining and geology gives us a deep appreciation of the variety of life on the planet. We understand how vital it is to practice sound mines rehabilitation to protect valuable ecosystems and biodiversity. Our mining plans incorporate quarry rehabilitation throughout the active life of the mine along with various measures in biodiversity conservation. Capacity building programs are regularly organized at all plant locations to generate awareness and sensitize employees and communities about biodiversity conservation.
