Friday, March 14, 2025

IMPACT WATCH NETWORK
Leading true information for positive global change.

Ramadan 2024: Islamic philanthropy surges to record high as UN delivers warning

Islamic philanthropy raised a record $46 million for 2 million displaced people in...

Battling green skill shortage in the quest for a sustainable economy

Growth in demand for green skills is outpacing the increase in supply -...

Nigeria to get WHO-recommended new malaria vaccine by Mid-2024

The World Health Organisation has recommended a new vaccine, R21/Matrix-M, for the prevention...

Google announces N75m equity-free fund for Nigerian SMBs

Google has announced the opening of applications for the Hustle Academy SMB Fund...
HomeIssuesEnvironment & EnergyEnvironmental Sustainability: Lafarge...

Environmental Sustainability: Lafarge Africa installs bag filter to curb dust emissions 

Leading innovative and sustainable building solutions company, Lafarge Africa Plc, has restated its commitment to the promotion of environmentally sustainable operations at all its plants across the country by installing bag filters to reduce dust emissions.

With these recent actions, Lafarge Africa sets high standards for health, safety, and the environment (HSE).

According to a statement from the foremost cement manufacturer, the company’s goal is to conduct its business with zero harm to people while minimizing its environmental footprint.

To achieve this, it has completed the installation of a new bag filter technology at its Ewekoro plant – which is a key milestone in the company’s compliance with Nigerian regulatory standards and in line with its sustainability strategy.

The Head of Health, Safety and Environment, Lafarge Africa Plc. Rachael Ezembakwe stated: “We continuously upgrade our operating models and strategy through extensive investments in research and innovation. In order to comply with global standards and contribute to building a safer planet, we successfully replaced our dust emission control device in our Ewekoro Plant I, from the Electrostatic Precipitator (ESP) to a more modern and effective system, the ‘Bag House’ dust collection system.”

To mitigate dust emissions from other sources, such as from roads surrounding its plants, Lafarge has instituted measures to consistently reduce fugitive emissions in all its plants, preserve the local environment and minimize the impact on the neighboring/host communities. The company also conducts air quality measurements of its plant within up to 10km radius to assure conformance to acceptable limits.

“We are fully aware of the environmental impact of our operations, particularly on our host communities. As such, we carried out a comprehensive social impact assessment in our Ewekoro plant in the year 2020, resulting in a robust action plan to reduce dust emissions. The implementation of the action plan involved changing the Electrostatic Precipitator (ESP) used at the plant to a bag house filter, in addition to other significant adjustments to our production activities, over a period of six (6) months. A robust maintenance system was also put in place for the dust control equipment at the Plant.”

Furthermore, Ezembakwe confirmed: “The dust emissions at our Ewekoro Plant has since remained below the regulatory limit of 50mg/Nm3. The emission levels are also monitored real-time to ensure that it remains within acceptable limits, and validated by the National Environmental Standard and Regulations Agency (NESREA) during its periodic monitoring inspection of our Ewekoro Plant. Quarterly monitoring exercises by government-accredited agencies are also conducted at the Plant, and the reports of the inspection are submitted to our regulators.

She noted that Lafarge Africa maintains a good relationship with its host communities, and as part of its corporate social responsibility, the building solutions company has continued to live up to its billing of improving the living standard of its host communities in Ewekoro and Sagamu in Ogun State with the provision of basic business & vocational skills, start-up kits, education grants, community projects, agricultural funds, healthcare and education facilities, among others, on a yearly basis.

To reiterate Lafarge Africa’s commitment to the health of its host communities, Lafarge provides annual medical examinations and treatment, including medications, medicated glasses, wheelchairs, etc. to support the health of community members. 

“As a member of the Holcim – the leading global construction materials and solutions company in the world, care for the environment and for our host communities is built into all aspects of our operations within the country. Our social impact is focused on the areas of the most needs: Education, Empowerment, Health and Safety, and Shelter/infrastructure,” she concluded.

The company revealed that it has invested significant resources, about 7.5mCHF to reducing the environmental impact of its operations to the barest minimum by adopting state-of-the-art technology whilst prioritizing the health and safety of its people and host communities.

Press Release

Do you want to share your impact stories or pitch the coverage of your CSR event to us? E-mail: editor@impactwatch.net or *Phone +234-806-795-0250 (Whatsapp &Text)

We do everything possible to supply quality news and information to all our valuable readers day in, day out and we are committed to keep doing this. Your kind donation will help our continuous research efforts.

Get notified whenever we post something new!

Subscribe to our newsletter

To be updated with all the latest news, offers and special announcements.

spot_img

Seize the spotlight!

Experience unparalleled exposure and skyrocket your business!

Continue reading

Nigeria’s Women Affairs Minister commemorates 2025 IWD, to attend UN summit

Nigeria's Minister of Women Affairs, Hajiya Imaan Suleiman-Ibrahim, has called for urgent steps to advance gender equality in the country, she flagged off the 2025 International Women’s Day (IWD) commemoration under the theme: “Accelerate Action”. After this IWD commemoration, she's...

FG plans engagement of 28,000 Nigerian health workers on USAID payroll

The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Ali Pate, has revealed that the Federal Government now plans to engage 28,000 health workers previously being paid by the United States Agency for International Development, USAID. Speaking in an interview...

Lafarge, LASG sign agreement on waste collection

Lafarge Africa Plc and the Lagos State Government, through the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the collection of non-recyclable combustible waste around the state and landfill sites. The Commissioner for Environment,...

Enjoy exclusive access to all of our content

Get an online subscription and you can unlock any article you come across.