Cement industry slams eco report

A report compiled by the University of Stuttgart and commissioned by the Irish firm, Ecocem, which finds that cement causes massive environmental damage has prompted a furious backlash from the Cement Manufacturers of Ireland.

The highly contentious report, which has not been made available to the wider public, finds that the manufacture of cement caused €2.1bn of environmental and health costs in the decade up to 2012. The impact on human health amounted to €450m over that period.

“Although a large range of pollutants is emitted in cement manufacture, the main pollutants contributing to the negative impacts are carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, sulphur dioxides and particulate matter.