EmissionZero is a division of Ecocem Materials Ltd (Ecocem). Traditionally focused on the construction industry and reducing Embodied CO₂, Ecocem established EmissionZero to reduce the Carbon Footprint of consumers and business in Ireland, enabling them to become Carbon Neutral through investing in Verified Emission Reductions (VERs).

Verified Emission Reductions from Ecocem

After water, concrete is the most used substance in the world. Annually, for every person on earth a cubic meter (approx. 2.4 tonnes) of concrete is poured. Concrete is responsible for 6% of worldwide CO₂ emissions – to put this in context, aviation barely reaches 3%. The main culprit in concrete is its most important ingredient: cement. Over 90% of the emissions from concrete come from the manufacture of cement. For every tonne of cement produced, approximately a tonne of CO₂ is released into the atmosphere.

Ecocem’s cement is a recycled industrial by-product and its’ carbon footprint weighs in at a tiny 25 kg!!! On top of this, concrete made with Ecocem cement is stronger, better looking and lasts twice as long as ordinary concrete – without adding to the price! In Ireland, Ecocem have had a hugely positive impact on the environment making the single largest reduction in CO₂ emissions. To date, over 1.2 million tonnes of CO₂ emissions have been avoided by the use of the Ecocem product.

Ecocem’s presence in Ireland is now under threat. Due to incorrect application of the European Emissions Trading Scheme in Ireland, Ecocem are in a position where competitors access to the all important raw materials is subsidised. Ecocem’s only access to subsidies for the purchase of raw materials lies in gaining financial recognition for its role in reducing CO₂ emissions in Ireland. Their only option is trading Verified Emission Reductions in the Voluntary Market.

In late 2007 after a long certification process, UN accredited auditors SGS, certified that Ecocem make a real and measurable reduction in CO₂ emissions in Ireland. Ecocem can now sell VERs validated and verified to the highest international applicable standard: the Voluntary Carbon Standard. Ecocem need to sell the VERs to ensure continued production of environmentally friendly cement in Ireland and the further development of the company – resulting in further CO₂ reductions worldwide. An Ireland without Ecocem would mean an increase in CO₂ emissions of around 300,000 tonnes costing the Irish Taxpayer at least €6,000,000 every year!

Due to continuing development Ecocem will be reducing CO₂ emissions in Europe by One Million Tonnes every year from 2009. The worldwide potential for Ecocem’s technology is a further reduction of 89 Million Tonnes per year.

Health Benefits

Policies to reduce emissions of CO₂ not only mitigate global warming but also yield improvements to public health and to protection of the physical environment, mainly through reduced emissions of NO_X, SO₂, CO and dust particles. These ancillary benefits have an economic significance in terms of improving health and quality of life.

Whereas CO₂ emissions affect climate in the long term and on a global scale, the ancillary effects of the other emissions from fossil fuel burning are local and immediate.

Health effects associated with improved air quality typically account for 80% of the total value of the ancillary effects of Global Warming Gases emission reduction. Reduced emissions of air pollutants generate health benefits in terms of a reduction in the number of deaths brought forward each year and a reduction in the number of admissions to hospital for treatment of respiratory diseases.

Estimating the Economic Value

Economic assessments of the value of the impact on health of ancillary emissions has been undertaken by the OECD with the collaboration of the UN. The policy conclusions are available here.

Based on this and other work, the EU has initiated studies to provide a basis for the inclusion of economic measures of ancillary benefits in policy decisions on GWG emission reduction.

The most recent study (Ancillary Benefits of GWG Mitigation in Europe: SO₂, NO_X and PM₁₀ reductions from policies to meet Kyoto targets using the E3ME model and EXTERNE valuations) is available here [238 Kb PDF].

Impact in Ireland

Based on these and related studies, the Department of the Environment in Ireland has related the economic impact of the ancillary benefits to the reduction of CO₂ emissions from fossil fuel combustion as follows:

“The health and environmental benefits arise from reduced SO₂, NO_X and PM₁₀, combinations of which cause respiratory problems, acid rain, and damage to agricultural productivity. These reductions have been valued by the European Commission and the OECD at €35 per tonne of CO₂ reduced.”

Implications for Cement, GGBS

About 43% of CO₂ emissions from the production of Portland cement arise from burning fossil fuels. Each tonne of cement produced therefore costs the country €14 in higher health costs and reduced life expectancy.

The cost thereby borne by the country can be valued at c. €45m per annum.

The use of GGBS would result in a reduction of this ancillary cost by six-sevenths, or a saving for the country of €12/tonne of GGBS used - which would convert to approximately €3.6m per annum, at an annual usage of 300,000 tonnes of GGBS per annum (the current capacity of Ecocem GGBS).

Thus there are strong and economically significant public health reasons to prefer GGBS to Portland cement use.

References

OECD “Ancillary benefits and costs of GHG mitigation: Policy Conclusions” ENV/EPOC/GSP(2001)13/FINAL, April 2002.

Press

For all press queries please contact Conor O’Riain on 087 1246322 or write to conor@emissionzero.ie

Guaranteed Irish

Our cement, our carbon footprinting services and our
offsets have all been certified Guaranteed Irish

Contact Details

Please contact a member of the EmissionZero team on 01 667 0900 or email info@emissionzero.ie
EmissionZero, PortviewHouse, Thorncastle Street, Dublin 4