Lime products are natural and are essential for our society. They help fulfil humanity’s basic needs. They support a clean, pure environment, enable the production and recycling of crucial materials (steel, glass, paper, chemicals, construction materials), feed the population by increasing yields in agriculture. They are and will remain the reference solution both for many industries and the environment.
The lime manufacturing process requires a substantial amount of energy to thermally decompose limestone rock in high-temperature kilns, generating carbon dioxide emissions. Lhoist’s carbon challenge therefore started a while ago and lots of initiatives have already been implemented or are ongoing across all our sites.
To gain a good insight in our impact in reducing carbon emissions, it is important to acknowledge the role of lime as a potent carbon sink. Many common applications of lime rely on its ability to spontaneously absorb CO2, either from the atmosphere or from an industrial source. A 2020 study (LINK TO EULA REPORT) showed that lime on average absorbs a third of the amount of all process CO2 emitted during production. As we work towards a full carbon-free production process, this therefore offers the potential to use green lime as a carbon sink and as a powerful method of carbon capture.