Eco-friendly cement becomes standard in Ontario, Quebec

Ontario and Quebec recognize Holcim Inc’s. PLC cement in building regulations

BY Canadian Manufacturing Daily Staff

MISSISSAUGA‑Holcim Canada Inc. will manufacture a new class of cement called Portland Limestone cement (PLC) that has been written into the Ontario Building Code (OBC) and the Régie du Bâtiment in Quebec as an alternative to general use (GU) cement.

Holcim’s plants in Mississauga and Joliette, Que. have manufactured PLC for customer trials with ready-mix producers and concrete product manufacturers in both provinces.

The PLC manufacturing process is expected to reduce CO2 emissions by 130,000 tonnes, the equivalent to taking more than 25,000 cars off the road or planting 3,300,000 trees, and will reduce the dependence on virgin materials, according to the company.

Reductions are achieved because up to 15 per cent of the clinker used to produce regular cement is replaced by limestone. PLC also shows comparable strength performance and can carry similar amounts of supplementary cementing material as GU.

PLC was referenced in the National Building Code of Canada last November and was adopted by Ontario building code on Feb. 17.