HOLCIM Philippines, Inc. is set to bring ECOPlanet, its most eco-friendly product, to the Philippine market.
ECOPlanet will be available locally as a more sustainable general-purpose blended cement that can deliver the same construction quality, like usual cement products, but with reduced carbon footprint.
It was first made available in Germany, Romania, Canada, Switzerland, Spain, France, and Italy by the Holcim Group since its launch in July.
In a press release, Holcim Philippines said the lower environmental footprint and superior performance are driven by the addition of blast furnace slag, a by-product of iron ore smelting to produce pig iron for steel making.
“Adding slag lowers the clinker content and carbon footprint of cement while enhancing the durability and long-term strength of concrete,” it added.
The building solutions company aims to acquire an environmental product declaration (EPD) from an independent evaluator. An EPD is a third-party verification and documentation that proves the credibility of the products’ life-cycle environmental impact.
“ECOPlanet enables us to provide our partners with the best balance of delivering strength and durability while helping make construction more respectful of the environment. It is another key step in our promise to build greener, smarter, and for all in the Philippines,” said Holcim Philippines President and CEO Horia-Ciprian Adrian said in a statement.
As part of the company’s commitment to sustainability, it will also launch a collection program for used ECOPlanet plastic bags.
This year, Holcim Philippines also launched Aqua X, Multifix and AAC Block Adhesive, which are innovative building solutions that use less natural resources.
Holcim Philippines recently inked a 20-year contract with renewable energy company Blueleaf Energy as it shifts to renewables in powering its plants. — Marielle C. Lucenio
