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This research paper aimed at looking into strategies implemented by two cement companies on the use of alternative fuel and raw materials on their production and operations, as part of their CSI implementation. Specifically, the research addressed the following concerns:
Cement Sustainability Initiative
The purpose of the Initiative is to:
• To calculate emissions from cement production: lime content of cement is typically 63.5 percent.
• Molecular weight of lime is 40.07 (Ca) + 16.01 (O)=56.08; one mole of carbon (12) is released for each mole of lime; so
• Tons cement x .635 x (12/56.08) = emissions
• To compute emissions from limestone inputs; limestone is 98 percent CaCO3, molecular weight of CaCO3 is 40.07+(3x16.01)+12=100.09, so
• Tons limestone x .98 x 12/100.09 = emissions
This study aims to synthesize the available literature and research with respect to the use of alternative fuels in cement manufacturing. It reviews not only the economic, environmental, social impacts of using alternative fuels in cement kilns, but also compares alternative fuel to conventional fuels. It outlines how the use of alternative fuels in cement manufacturing could improve the industry’s overall competitiveness, while reducing the industry’s costs and the carbon emissions associated with the manufacture of cement.
This study will be the descriptive method of research. Good and Scates (1973) describes the method as fact-finding with adequate and accurate interpretation of the findings. It determines and reports the way things are.
The descriptive research method uses observation and surveys. Creswell (1998, 1994) wrote of descriptive research: "Descriptive method of research is to gather information about the present existing condition. The purpose of employing this method is to describe the nature of a situation, as it exists at the time of the study and to explore the cause/s of particular phenomena."
For this particular paper, aside from interviewing and surveying key people in the cement industry and from the production staff of the two subject-companies, the paper shall also analyze existing measures and steps on the use of AFR as a CSI thrust and their effects and impact on the economic, social and environmental concerns of the company.
On the other hand, certain quantitative methods will be used to be able to obtain certain findings in the study. Portions of the financial statements will be analyzed; and certain mathematical formulae will be applied to measure indicators used in the study specifically on the aspect of carbon dioxide emissions. CO2 emissions are good indicators as to the environmental responsibility of the cement companies.
The study will use the Friedman test to determine the perception of respondents on the impact of sustainable development initiatives to the financial, social and environmental aspects of using alternative fuel and raw materials. The perception is represented by the inclination of the respondents to the different items in the questionnaire.
The paper will also utilize the Kendall’s W which is the coefficient of concordance measures the agreement among respondents. Each respondent is a rater and each impact variable is an item being judged. The sum of ranks was computed by the SPSS ver. 8 and computed ranging from 0 (no agreement) and 1 (complete agreement).
The Chronbach Alpha test, in the meantime, will be used to test the reliability of the data obtained from the questionnaires.
This study is significant as this addresses the immediate need to protect the one and only environment that we have. It has become increasingly important for manufacturing firms in general and cement companies in particular to understand the full economic, environmental and social consequences the implementation of CSI strategies particularly the use of alternative material and/or waste fuel.
This study could also be important to the cement industry in particular and manufacturing industry as a whole.
Finally, this study will greatly benefit this student in his short-term and long-term functions as a cement industry professional.
Impact of use of alternative/ waste fuel and raw materials by Philippine cement companies
> Economic
Savings on Costs
Revenue and opportunities
Company Financial Performance
> Social
Way of Life
Productivity, Prosperity and Career Enhancement
> Environmental
Conservation of resources and ecological systems
Waste Disposal
Minimization of environmental hazards
Analysis on Factors via Tools:
> Economic
Financial statement analysis
Interview and Questionnaire
> Social
Qualitative analysis
Questionnaire
> Environmental
Measurement analysis
Questionnaire
The study focused on two major cement-manufacturing firms operating in the Philippines, Company X and Company Y. It was the original intention of the researcher to go into a less detailed study, involving five major cement companies in the country. Officers from other cement companies have however advised the researcher of the seeming difficulty in obtaining data from the cement companies. The researcher, thus had no recourse but to just focus on two companies where data was more accessible, but conduct a much more detailed analysis of CSI initiatives of these two companies in terms of the use of alternative fuel and alternative raw materials, and their impact on three bottom line factors: economic development, environmental stewardship and social responsibility.
The findings of the current study, unlike the abovementioned literature on cement sustainability in particular and sustainable development in general, will actually be personally helpful to the cement industry in helping toward the development and implementation of a culture of environmental stewardship, social responsibility and economic prosperity so as to further ensure that the three-pronged vision of Sustainable Development (SD) will be achieved.
Impact of the Cement Sustainability Initiative (CSI) on Selected Major Cement Companies in the Philippines from 2000–2005—basically differs from the aforementioned related studies published in books and recent journals for the following reasons. First, this study is non-commissioned and seeks to assess, in an independent manner, the status of the Cement Sustainability Initiative focusing on the use of Alternative Fuel and Raw Materials. (AFR) in two major cement companies in the Philippines, As the final report of the said industry-wide initiative will be released or published sometime in 2007, findings of the present study can offer up-to-date (and advanced knowledge) information on the CSI.
Concrete industry occupies a unique position in relation to sustainable development. On one hand, cement concrete has become a material of choice to cater to worldwide infrastructure demands, while on the other hand it is a major consumer of natural resources, producer of solid waste and emitter of carbon dioxide (CO2).
The cement industry remains to this day, as the basis of much of civilization’s infrastructure and physical development. Cement use has been growing rapidly each year in the developing world. Concrete, which is made from cement, is expected to continue to be the planet’s most used material in the next few years, next to water.
The concept of sustainable development has therefore emerged as a paramount concern in recent years and has gained considerable attention of governments, international agencies, business organizations and civil society groups. Sustainable development has been defined as “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” (World Commission on Environment and Development 1987).
Over the last two centuries, the world has experienced an exponential growth in human population accompanied by an increasing trend of urbanization. Since then consumption of natural resources has been carried out and wastes have been discarded without much regard to the absorptive capacities of natural processes. Today the world is experiencing that natural resources are limited and that the environment’s capacity for accommodating wastes is not boundless.