Bamburi Cement Plc has denied causing any environmental harm after dust emissions from its coal storage facility raised concerns among nearby communities.
The company said in a statement that the dust emissions were a “one-off occurrence” caused by “very strong unprecedented winds” at the time of ground surface preparation. It said it had no history of environmental incidents in its decades of world-class operations.
The statement came after the County Government of Mombasa visited the plant on 8th January 2024 and reviewed all aspects of operations. The county officials and the company agreed on some additional checks and recommendations, such as reviewing the quality of coal, controlling the coal movement from the port to the plant, sprinkling water to suppress dust, assessing the air quality, strengthening the community engagement and complaints handling system, and forming a cross-functional committee for better coordination.
Bamburi Cement said it was fully complying with all the recommendations and held all valid operational licenses. It also highlighted its various corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives, such as supporting education, health, road safety, and quarry rehabilitation.
It said it had the distinction of 100% quarry rehabilitation with a live example of Bamburi Haller Park, its former quarry. It also said it was committed to decarbonizing its operations by shifting to 100% green products, setting up 20 MW solar power projects, shifting from road to rail transport, reducing the share of fossil fuels, and recycling water and waste.
“We are deeply engaged with the local community through our various CSR initiatives,” the statement said. “We continue to engage with the County Government of Mombasa’s Public Health, Environment departments, other stakeholders and the community to reassure everyone of our continued collaborative approach.”
The company said all its operations continued normally.
