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TheOfceofEnvironmentandheritageOEHispleasedtoinformyouofthereleaseofthenalisedResourceRecoveryExemptionforelectricarefurnaceladleslagGeneralExemptionTheGeneralExemptionwaspublishedintheNSWGovernmentGazetteon14June2011.AcopyoftheGeneralExemptionisenclosed.ThisGeneralExemptionwastheresultofasignicantbodofworkconductedwithindustrystakeholdersanddeliverscertaintyforindustryaswellaspositiveresourcerecoveryoutcomesandgoodenvironmentprotectionforthecommunity.TheConcreteExpertReferencePaneldeterminedthatthebroadfocusofthepreviouscreditwasappropriatebutthatitcouldbeclariedaswellasimprovedthroughtheintroductionofnewcriteriatoencouragetheuseofalternativefuelsincementkilnsalternativeneaggregateandnon-potablewaterinconcrete.Theglobalcementindustryisworkingtoreduceitsenvironmentalimpactandisdevelopingmoresustainableandcost-effectiveproductionmethods.UseofSCMalternativefuelsnon-potablewaterandnon-virginaggregateincementproductionarekeystrategiesforachievingthisaimconnectionsSourceTheConcreteCentreCalculateCO2SavingsArevisedGreenStarConcretecreditwhichaimstofurtherdrivedemandforconcretewithreducedenvironmentalimpacthasbeenreleasedforstakeholdercomment.Thisrevisionisbasedontheworkofaconcreteexpertworkingpanelandcomesoutofa20monthreviewofindependentresearchandasitetourofAustralianCementmanufacturingfacilities.AConcreteCredittoencouragetheuseofsupplementarycementitiousmaterialsSCMandrecycledaggregateinconcretehasbeeninplacesincetheGreenBuildingCouncilofAustraliaintroducedGreenStarin2003saysGreenStarDirectorAndrewAitken.TherevisedConcretecredithasalsobeenstreamlinedthroughtheintroductionoftemplatesandareferencecaseforSCMuse.MrAitkensays.ThereviewoftheConcretecreditreectstheGBCAscommitmenttoensureGreenStartoolsremainrelevantrobustandattheleadingedgeofbestpracticeMrAitkenconcludes.GreenBuildingCouncilofAustraliaTheuseofGroundgranulatedBlastFurnaceSlagasacomponentofConcretemixeshasbeenwellrecognisedinAustralasiaandgloballyasprovidingdurabilityandsustainabilitytostructuresusingsuchmixes.intheUKhasrecentlypublishedaguidancedocumententitledSpecifyingSustainableConcrete.Theguidanceassistsspecierstooptimisethesustainablecredentialsofconcrete.Itdealswiththesustainabilityimpactsonconcreteofcementtypeaggregatesadmixturesreinforcementandwater.AkeypointofthereportisthatThecementitiouscomponentofconcreterepresentsthemajorityoftheembodiedCO2ECO2ofconcrete.InIrishpracticeGGBSistypicallyusedatblendratesof3070withthemostcommonbeing50.ItiswidelyrecognisedthathigherGGBScontentsdeliverTheConcretecentrehaspublishedadownloadableguidancedocumenttoassistusersandspeciersinachievingthemostsustainableconcretehavinginmindtheenvironmentinwhichtheyareworking.CO2savingsarisebecauseEcocemGGBShasaCO2footprintof050kgtonneandreplacesordinarycementCEMIIAorCEMIwhichhasaCO2footprintofapproximately800900kgtonnerespectively.If50Ecocemcementisusedinatypical8m3concretedeliveryasavingof1.0tonneofCO2willbeachieved.InAustraliatherehavebeenmanystructureswhereGGBFShasbeenusedtoimpartdurabilityincludingtheSydneyHarbourTunnelimmersedtubesegmentstheseawallaroundtheSydneyOperaHouseandasunderseagroutingforcomponentsoftheOffshoreGasplatformsontheNorthWestshelfofWesternAustralia.AswellasthedurabilityagainsttheaggressiveenvironmentsthereisalsotheloweringofthestructuresCO2efootprint.TheAssociationhasbeeninvolvedindiscussionandprovidingtestdataandinformationaimedatbringingcertaintytotheconditionsunderwhichelectricfurnaceladleslagcanbeusedinconstructionandotherprojects.WeshareacommonobjectivewiththeOfceofEnvironmentandHeritageinencouragingresourcerecoveryofmaterialswhichotherwisemayhavebeendiscardedortherewouldbetheneedtojustifytheiruseonacasebycasebasis.Settingtheexpectedpropertiesandgeneralconditionsofusebringsassurancetotheusersproducersandindeedthecommunityallowingthematerialtobeusedappropriately.TheletterfromtheOfceofEnvironmentandHeritagetotheAssociationadvisesMembersoftheAssociationhaveprovidedasignicantamountofmaterialandtestingtounderpinthegeneralexemption.TheyhavealsoworkedwiththeAssociationsExecutiveDirectorandOEHstaff.AcopyofthegenerableexemptionisavailablefromtheAssociationorfrommembersworkingwithelectricarcfurnaceladleslagproducts.www.asa-inc.org.auJULY1105RevisedcreditwilldrivedemandforenvironmentallyresponsibleconcreteSpecifyingSustainableConcrete-EcoCemUKLadleSteelSlagexemption