Cruz Azul at the forefront of environmental issues

The cement industry has been criticized for decades for the pollution generated when manufacturing its material par excellence. Given this, cement companies must have a specialized department that is responsible for promoting environmental culture within their operations.



Cruz Azul at the forefront of environmental issues

The La Cruz Azul Cooperative, SCL , has belonged to the United Nations Global Compact since 2005, and the company assumes the ethical and voluntary commitments of the Ten Principles of the Global Compact.



One of the thematic axes that emerges from these principles is care for the environment, which states that companies must promote initiatives, technologies, and a preventive approach that promotes greater environmental responsibility.





A few days ago we had the Chile Mobile Number List opportunity to talk with environmental engineer Juan Abel Dolores Altamirano , responsible for the environmental education area of ​​the cement company; who stated that it is at the forefront in issues that concern the environment.



But why do we say that Cruz Azul is at the forefront of environmental issues? Below we present some environmental projects that the cement company has and is implementing in some plants:



1.Alternative fuels in factories

Currently at the Cruz Azul Cement Plant the substitution of alternative fuel for coke is 5% and with the updates that are being carried out in Laguna and Hidalgo we will seek to have the capacity to replace up to 70% of conventional fuel. Some of the most commonly used materials are hydrocarbons, tire waste and PET.



For this evolution, the company has environmental permits from the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT), this grants them authorization from the organization to be able to use it as an alternative fuel.



The company receives waste for the Lagunas, Oaxaca plant, from surrounding communities of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, Veracruz and Chiapas.



2. Culture of environmental education for employees and families

The Lagunas Oaxaca plant has around 11 environmental practices in which environmental education is promoted in employees, their families and in the entity's schools. Thanks to this type of initiatives and talks on waste management, water care, energy saving and ecological awareness issues , the company maintains dialogue with them, their families and schools in the entity.



On the other hand, the cement company heads important environmental programs such as the separation of waste within cement plants through a project called “Comprehensive Industrial Waste Management” and they have the “ Less plastic, more life” project . This aims to reduce single-use plastic within the company.



The Cruz Azul Cooperative has an environmental dissemination program on the cement company's radio station and on the screens inside it, so that collaborators can enjoy some environmental preservation tips.



Another important point that the company promotes is the use of alternative transportation to vehicles. Likewise, the Cruz Azul Nursery has been created, where there are more than 35 thousand plants: cacti, fruit and forest trees .





3. Contribution to the SDGs

The 2030 Agenda is a crucial issue for companies and even more so when it comes to cement industries. 10 years after fulfilling the Agenda, Cruz Azul has the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) deeply rooted in its actions.



Objective number 9: Industry, Innovation and infrastructure.

This is perfectly related to the technological advances of cement plants, which are committed to the environment.



Objective number 12: Responsible Production and Consumption.

It is related to the issue of waste separation and management, waste used as alternative fuels, battery recycling, among others.



Goal number 6: Clean water and sanitation.

The company has wastewater treatment at the Cruz Azul Hidalgo and Lagunas plant, Oaxaca; These waters are used to irrigate green areas and save on water extraction from surrounding communities.