Month: August 2024

Cement production has its challenges—notably, the variability of resources can make kilns difficult to control and manage. Cimento Itambé wanted to optimize kiln productivity, increase mill productivity, and reduce energy use.

Rockwell Automation (NYSE:ROK) worked with Cimento Itambé to implement model predictive control (MPC) technology. MPC allowed Cimento Itambé to standardize operational processes, gain more equipment availability, and use less energy in their cement manufacturing process.

The first phase of the project, targeting the kilns, was completed in late 2022. During this phase, Cimento Itambé experienced a 5% increase in productivity, a 2% reduction in energy use in each kiln, and overall, more stable temperatures.

The second phase, improving the grinding operations, was completed in 2023. During this phase, Cimento Itambé realized a 5% reduction in energy usage, a 5-10% increase in productivity, and fewer disruptions in feeding or stops related to high vibrations.

Learn more about how MPC technology can put cement plants on the path to more stable production, reduced energy usage, and higher throughput.

Hershey

By Tim McCoy, Director, Cocoa Partnerships

Key Takeaways:

Supporting children’s education has been a central part of Hershey’s mission since our founding more than 130 years ago. Today, we’re continuing this work by helping expand the education system in cocoa-farming communities in West Africa.We’ve teamed up with the Government of Côte d’Ivoire and are funding the construction of 12 new schools, including a new school in Ozékro, a small village of farmers in Côte d’Ivoire’s western cocoa-growing region.In addition to school construction, we are working to train teachers, establish remedial education programs and improve literacy and numeracy for 5 million primary school children through the Child Learning and Education Facility (CLEF).

Growing up in rural Appalachia, I knew that education was key to a brighter future. The importance of education is deeply engrained in my family going back to my great-great grandfather, who taught primary school both before and after his service in the U.S. Army during the Civil War and my grandfather, who taught vocational agriculture to American GIs after their service during World War II. This makes me especially proud to work for The Hershey Company, where supporting children has been part of the company’s DNA since our founding more than 130 years ago. We want all children to have bright futures, and that extends to the communities in our cocoa supply chain.

Milton Hershey may have given us America’s most iconic chocolate bar, but one of our founder’s most compelling contributions is Milton Hershey School (MHS). Founded by Milton and his wife Catherine, they built the school with the intention of providing youth with a productive and fulfilling life. Prior to his death, Milton Hershey left the entirety of his fortune with the school to ensure its continued success.

We’ve continued to carry on this commitment to education today. In addition to our work with youth in the U.S., we’re investing in widescale educational infrastructure in West Africa, where much of the world’s cocoa is grown, to support children who lack sufficient access to quality education. Our hope is that having greater school access can help set generations of children on a path to fulfilling and productive lives.

We engage with leading children’s rights experts to enhance our work and apply what we’ve learned from years of investing in cocoa-farming communities to achieve greater impact. We’re active partners with the Child Learning and Education Facility. (CLEF), a public-private coalition to improve access to quality education for children in cocoa-producing areas of Côte d’Ivoire. In CLEF, we are partnering with the Jacobs Foundation, the Government of Côte d’Ivoire Ministry of Education and Literacy, and 14 other chocolate producers and cocoa suppliers to build 2,500 new classrooms, train teachers, establish remedial education programs and improve literacy and numeracy for 5 million primary school children.

Last year, Hershey signed an agreement with Côte d’Ivoire’s National Oversight Committee for Actions to Fight Child Labor, Trafficking and Exploitation (CNS) and the International Cocoa Initiative (ICI) to fund construction of 12 primary schools (72 classrooms) in cocoa-producing communities that currently lack school infrastructure. In 2023, we built three new schools in Côte d’Ivoire and nine more will be completed by the end of 2025.

Many rural cocoa-growing communities lack the financial resources to develop a school system that can serve all the children in the area. Lack of educational infrastructure is often caused by factors like distance between households and challenges in recruiting and housing teachers. In Ozékro, a cocoa-growing community located in western Côte d’Ivoire, the new public primary school is already allowing families to benefit from the project. In a community of fewer than 1,000 people, nearly 200 households have been impacted by having a new school within traveling distance, removing a barrier to education for many. Watch the video above to hear from community members how the new school has made a difference for their families.

Our efforts are aimed toward helping children receive a quality education to achieve their full potential and that high-quality school infrastructure is key to creating a safe and protective environment where children can learn. Research also shows that communities with better access to education have fewer children working to support their families’ farms, a key issue in many cocoa-growing regions.

We also know education is about more than just classrooms. Our projects extend to the construction of canteens, upgraded water wells, and latrines. Central to any education system are devoted teachers, so we’re working with our partners to train educators and, where appropriate, build teacher lodgings. We’re providing school supplies in line with the government’s national child labor action plans, and helping children obtain birth certificates that are necessary to enroll in school.

Aligned with the objectives of Côte d’Ivoire’s National Strategy for Sustainable Cocoa and Hershey’s Income Accelerator program, these investments reflect a shared commitment to ensuring a better and more sustainable cocoa supply chain.

Hershey has an important role to play in a sustainable supply chain and the livelihoods of cocoa farming families. It takes an environment of supportive practices and broad cooperation. No single company can do this alone, so we remain committed to collaborating to tackle the complex issues facing the industry. By working with our partners to eliminate barriers to school attendance, we are making strides to set cocoa-growing communities up for success for generations to come.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) continues to roll out crucial regulatory updates to address environmental and public health concerns posed by per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). With growing awareness of the long-term effects of these “persistent chemicals,” the EPA is taking measures to mitigate PFAS contamination.

These and other PFAS regulations being enacted around the world are calling for businesses to take a more proactive stance on their awareness and risk management of PFAS in their operations, or risk facing potential regulatory and legal repercussions for non-compliance.

Beyond the legal and financial considerations, adherence to PFAS regulations also plays a significant role in corporate social responsibility initiatives. Businesses that remain vigilant and adaptable to PFAS regulatory changes are better positioned to comply with future regulatory changes, as well as demonstrate their commitment to environmental stewardship and public health.

To help you stay up to date on these changing regulations, we’ve created this guide to reflect new developments in the EPA’s PFAS regulations.

Latest EPA Updates on PFAS Regulations

Designation of PFOA and PFOS as Hazardous Substances (April 2024)

On April 19th, 2024, the EPA finalized the designation of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) – two of the most widely used PFAS chemicals – as hazardous substances under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA).

The new designation means companies are now required to immediately report any releases of PFOA and PFOS that meet or exceed reportable quantities. Reports must be made to the National Response Center, state or Tribal emergency response commission, and the local or Tribal emergency planning committee (local emergency responders).

For more details, please refer to: Designation of PFOA and PFOS as CERCLA Hazardous Substances

Existing EPA PFAS Actions and Regulations

National Primary Drinking Water Regulation for PFAS (April 2024)

The rule establishes the first-ever national legally enforceable drinking water standard for six PFAS compounds.

Key provisions include setting maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) for PFAS compounds in drinking water, implementing monitoring requirements, and providing guidance for water utilities to comply with the new standards. 

For more details, please refer to: National Primary Drinking Water Regulation for PFAS

PFAS Enforcement Discretion and Settlement Policy Under CERCLA (April 2024)

The EPA has issued a separate CERCLA enforcement discretion policy, clarifying the EPA’s enforcement focus on the parties most responsible for the release of PFAS chemicals into the environment. This includes manufacturers of PFAS and parties that use PFAS in their manufacturing process, as well as other federal and industrial parties.

For more details, please refer to: PFAS Enforcement Discretion and Settlement Policy Under CERCLA

Updated interim guidance on PFAS destruction and disposal (April 2024)

The EPA updated their interim guidance on the destruction and disposal of PFAS-containing materials. This update offers guidance on effective methods of remediation, disposal, and destruction of PFAS contaminated materials.

Based on current scientific research, this revision shares information about the use of large-scale capacity technologies used to destroy or control PFAS release into the environment: thermal destruction, landfills, and underground injection.

Decision-makers can use this guidance to select the technology that works best for their needs.

For more details, please refer to: Interim Guidance on Destroying and Disposing of Certain PFAS and PFAS-Containing Materials That Are Not Consumer Products

New Use Rule for Inactive PFAS (January 2024)

This significant new use rule (SNUR) enhances the regulation of PFAS by prohibiting the resumption of manufacture or processing of inactive PFAS without EPA review of the significant new use.

The SNUR applies specifically to PFAS listed as “Inactive” on the Toxics Substances Control Act (TSCA) Inventory, referring to substances that have not been manufactured or processed in the United States since June 21, 2006. Entities intending to manufacture or process any of the 329 PFAS compounds covered by the rule must submit a Significant New Use Notice (SNUN) to the EPA and comply with any applicable requirements resulting from EPA review.

For more details, please refer to: Risk Management for Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) under TSCA

Learn how the experts at Antea Group can help your organization with the detection, remediation, and risk management of PFAS chemicals and contaminated materials.