Akcansa Cimento Sanayi Ve Ticaret : Akçansa became the first company in the ready-mix concrete industry to submit an International Environmental Product Declaration

18.12.2020

Environmental product declarations (EPD) demonstrate the environmental performance of the process from raw material production to final disposal. After completing the EPD process, the companies declare product performance and provide customers with a transparent environmental footprint of their product. This makes it easier for customers in green building certifications processes such as LEED, BREEAM and GreenStar.

While it is not yet mandatory for construction material manufacturers to submit environmental product declarations for their products in Turkey, the issue of carbon footprint or responsible resource consumption is becoming increasingly important.

Akçansa, the solution partner of mega projects, is preparing for the future with low-carbon products

Leading the industry in adopting sustainable world and responsible business models, Akçansa, Turkey's leading construction material company, completed the environmental product declaration process carried out by the Global Cement and Concrete Association for ready-mix concrete products and became the first ready-mix concrete producer to receive this certificate in Turkey.

Akçansa General Manager Mehmet Zeki Kanadıkırık stated that Environmental Product Declarations create a demand advantage for low-footprint products in markets that encourage responsible resource use and leading green building certification systems and said:

'With this certificate we provide to our customers for our ready-mix concrete products, we demonstrate the environmental impacts of the product in a responsible and transparent manner. Our customers learn about the environmental footprint of the product they use and they are able to compare it. These certificates are also the basis for our efforts in low-carbon future with low-footprint products. These steps shape our innovation and R&D approach and help create a significant accumulation of awareness and experience within our company.'

Akçansa reduces its environmental footprint

The 'European Green Deal' announced by the European Union (EU) in December 2019 aims to bring climate change and environmental concerns at the center of all policy areas, with the aim being to reduce carbon emissions by 50 percent by 2030 compared to the levels in 1990. A 'Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism' is expected to be introduced in selected sectors, including cement, to reduce export-generated carbon emissions. On the other hand, the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization is preparing for the carbon pricing mechanism that will be established in Turkey with the PMR (Partnership for Carbon Markets) Turkey Project, which is carried out with the support of the World Bank.

In the light of all these developments, Akçansa is reducing its carbon footprint through practices such as more alternative fuels, biomass use and energy efficiency in production stages for a low-carbon future, while it continues to reduce its environmental footprint in concrete with low clinker cement and higher mineral additives.

Underlining that the global demand for environmentally friendly products is increasing and that more countries are carrying out carbon pricing studies each year, General Manager Kanadıkırık stated that they expect the EPD certificates that Akçansa receives to provide significant competitive advantages both in the domestic market and in exports.