Lafarge completes lower carbon Brookfield plant conversion
The plant will now produce reduced carbon cement.
Plant manager Travis Smith. – Lafarge Canada
Key Takeaways:
- The plant will cease producing general use cement in favour of OneCem, a reduced carbon portland limestone cement.
- It’s Lafarge’s third plant conversion this year.
- Lafarge says OneCem creates 10 per cent less C02 emissions while maintaining performance and durability.
The Whole Story:
Lafarge Canada is continuing its march towards greener cement production.
The company announced it has fully transformed its Brookfield Cement Plant’s cement production in Nova Scotia to a greener portfolio. From now on, the site’s production of general use cement (GU) ends and will shift to reduced carbon portland limestone cement – branded as OneCem – the company’s eco-efficient alternative.
Brookfield is Lafarge’s third cement plant to be converted in 2022 and the first Atlantic Market plant to convert – the others being the Bath Cement Plant (Ontario) in June and the Richmond Cement Plant (B.C.) earlier this year.
OneCem is a sustainable product that presents up to 10 per cent lower CO2 emissions while providing the same performance and durability.
“We have been steadily moving the needle forward when it comes to cement decarbonization and we will continue to honour our commitment in progressing our greener portfolio in Eastern Canada over the coming years,” said Andrew Stewart, vice president of cement for Lafarge Canada (East). “For us at Lafarge Canada, sustainability and profitability go together – our main goal is to keep partnering with our customers to advance sustainable construction and, at the same time, provide innovative world-class products.”
According to Robert Cumming, Head of Sustainability & Public Affairs, Lafarge Canada (East), the company has avoided more than 140,000 tonnes of CO2 in the past four years by converting GU cement to OneCem in its plants across Canada.
“We are excited to take our plant to the next level of decarbonization. Our teams on the ground have been successfully showcasing our company’s values of passion, collaboration, and grit, and we couldn’t be prouder. This is a very important milestone in our Net-Zero journey in Nova Scotia and in Canada as a whole,” said Travis Smith, Brookfield’s plant manager.
Larfage officials explained that OneCem contributes to lowering the industry’s carbon footprint not only during the manufacturing process – while cement may be as little as 11 per cent of a concrete mix, it can account for more than 80 per cent of all energy required to produce concrete. Across Canada, Lafarge has produced over 6 million metric tonnes of OneCem since 2011.
