California Cement Industry

Under Assembly Bill 32 (AB32), the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006, the California Air Resources Board (ARB) is required to adopt rules and regulations to achieve the maximum technologically feasible and cost-effective reductions of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from sources in California.  In October 2007, the Board approved a list of potential early action measures to reduce GHG emissions.  The cement industry was added as one of the measures for consideration on the early action list. 

The cement manufacturing industry has been identified as a major source of carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions into the atmosphere from three sources: 1) direct emissions from fuel combustion, 2) direct emissions from limestone calcinations, and 3) indirect emissions from electricity use.  Reducing CO₂ emissions from fuel combustion, calcination, and electricity use requires facilities to convert to using clean alternative fuels, improve energy efficiency practices and technologies in cement production, and using blending cements.