Comments on: Cementing the GCC ties

By: Sadek

Sadek — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 20:17:00 +0000

Mo
Continue importing it, with Saudi not the only source. The economics do not support having it here anyway, and the case applies as much with sand – unless we want to gut out the island.
Bahrain besides being in the top league of polluted places is is amazingly densely populated; and which ever way you locate the plant will still have an impact on a substantial part of the local population.
The trade-off is between a short term benefit and long term damage to the environment, but more importantly what is the cost to our health and our children’s and grand children. Mo, what alternative would you choose?

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By: mahmood

mahmood — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 13:25:42 +0000

Is there an alternative?

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By: Sadek

Sadek — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 12:00:44 +0000

Worth looking into this link from Global warming. By the way in addition to CO2 emissions kilns are major mercury emitters. Isn’t it time we started thinking a little bit about the future rather than this mad dash to make more money by hook or crook.
http://www.global-greenhouse-warming.com/cement-CO2-emissions.html
One quote to put it in context
“Cement CO2 Emissions: Cement manufacture causes environmental impacts at all stages of the process. These include emissions of airborne pollution in the form of dust, greenhouse gases, noise and vibration when operating machinery and during blasting in quarries, and damage to countryside from quarrying. Equipment to reduce dust emissions during quarrying and manufacture of cement is widely used, and equipment to trap and separate exhaust gases are coming into increased use. Environmental protection also includes the re-integration of quarries into the countryside after they have been closed down by returning them to nature or re-cultivating them.

Due to the large quantities of fuel used during manufacture and the release of carbon dioxide from the raw materials, cement production also generates more carbon emissions than any other industrial process. Cement clinker production contributes about 4% of global total CO2 emissions from fuel use and industrial activities. cement CO2 emissions

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By: I love Bahrain

I love Bahrain — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 04:44:16 +0000

Lifeline for new cement factory
By MOHAMMED AL A’ ALI

INVESTORS of a new cement factory in Hidd have been thrown a lifeline after councillors agreed to reconsider a decision taken nine months ago to reject it.

Its fate now depends on an environment impact assessment report, which the Muharraq Municipal Council has asked the Public Commission for the Protection of Marine Resources, Environment and Wildlife to conduct.

The factory is being built in the Hidd Industrial Area, over which the Industry and Commerce Ministry said in September it has sole authority.
Source: GDN – read full article

ed: truncated article and linked to original

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By: Merlin

Merlin — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 04:19:17 +0000

Incompetence is rife! Now that they have a crisis that could derail all major projects announced in the last few years (since all it is, is real estate and construction) our REACTIVE government is proposing to send its minions on an excursion to Turkey, Saudi and other parts of the world to secure resource. I say someone was sleeping at the wheel, namely a certain Minister of Industry. This should have been anticipated way in advance and it is too little to late to suggest that they are in control with these petty announcements. Wake up guys, the rug has been pulled from under your feet, your antiquated way of doing things no longer works in the 21st century. And Dubai and Doha continue to laugh, laughing out loudly…..

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By: Sam

Sam — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 21:56:51 +0000

most cement plants in Europe, Japan and North America are closing and are moving to lesser environmentally restrictive countries.

Welcome to Bahrain! I’ve always wondered why they’ve kept our cancer diagnosis rates a guarded secret..

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By: Sadek

Sadek — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 12:21:13 +0000

Actually cement manufacturing is one of the most polluting industries that you can get. I am not so sure that this “environmental ‘expert’” knows what he is talking about – indeed that’s why most cement plants in Europe, Japan and North America are closing and are moving to lesser environmentally restrictive countries.
Bahrain would be, at least in my books, one of the most polluted countries in the world and getting worse. This will reflect in more health issues over time – lets not get too carried away.

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By: Joker

Joker — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 09:01:19 +0000

Someone has to get his cut so that the factory exists.

I can never understand the lingo in bahraini newspapers. The CP “yad3oo” for the establishment of factories. What do they mean yad3oo? Shouldn’t a symbol of authority dictate an immediate action plan with clear targets? Especially since he has a direct stake in the majority of these pump-and-dump projects?

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By: mahmood

mahmood — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 04:40:42 +0000

ولي العهد يدعو لإقامة مصانع جديدة وتوسعة الحالية
وفد لاستيراد الإسمنت من دول عدة

الوقت – حسين خميس:
دعا ولي العهد رئيس مجلس التنمية الاقتصادية سمو الشيخ سلمان بن حمد آل خليفة، الجهات المختصة بالدولة إلى فتح الباب فوراً أمام استيراد المزيد من الاسمنت ومواد البناء، بالإضافة إلى السماح والترخيص بتوسعة المصانع القائمة أو بناء مصانع جديدة لإنتاج الإسمنت في أماكن غير سكنية لتجنب التأثيرات الصحية والبيئية. كما وجه ولي العهد إلى تشكيل وفد رسمي رفيع المستوى برئاسة وزير الصناعة والتجارة وبمشاركة عددٍ من رجال الأعمال لزيارة بعض الدول المنتجة للإسمنت من أجل تزويد السوق المحلي بما يحتاجه من هذه المادة الأساسية لتطوير قطاع البناء والتشييد في المملكة. وبناء على توجيه ولي العهد قال وزير الصناعة والتجارة حسن فخرو ”إن باب تأسيس شركات استيراد مواد البناء مفتوح على مصراعيه لمن يرغب في ذلك ولن يكون هناك أي احتكار في البلاد لهذه المواد”. و”إن الباب مفتوح كذلك لبناء مصانع لإنتاج الاسمنت وبقية مواد البناء الأخرى”.
وفي سياق متصل، قالت مصادر مطلعة لـ ”الوقت”، ان البحرين التي تستهلك سنوياً نحو 3,2 مليون طن من الاسمنت تسعى إلى زيادة حجم إنتاجها ليبلغ 4 ملايين طن سنويا بحلول منتصف العام المقبل أي بزيادة عن الاحتياجات السنوية المحلية بنسبة 74%، وذلك من خلال توسعة المصانع الحالية وتقديم التسهيلات لإقامة مصانع جديدة.
Alwaqt 13 June, ’08

Crown Prince instructs government to start importing building materials and open the way to the creation of cement plants in non-residential areas.

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By: mahmood

mahmood — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 17:09:10 +0000

That might be true Hasan. But we don’t have the raw material to make aluminum either, but we have the largest aluminum smelters in the world!

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