Coal and petroleum coke have powered cement kilns for generations. At St Marys, the work to change that is underway, regulated, community-consulted, and producing results.
The St Marys plant is advancing the use of Alternative Low Carbon Fuels (ALCF) as an energy source for the kiln. These fuels are non-hazardous, non-recyclable byproducts sourced from industrial and post-consumer materials that cannot be recycled and would otherwise go to landfill. Through co-processing, a regulated technology operating under Ontario’s Environmental Protection Act, the kiln recovers both the energy and mineral content of those materials, reducing reliance on fossil fuels and diverting waste from disposal.
The program began in May 2024. Since then, the plant has processed 1,727 tonnes of wood and 29,235 tonnes of plastic as alternative fuels. The plastic alone represents the equivalent of the annual discarded plastic of 278,429 Canadians, based on Statistics Canada’s 2019 per-capita figure of 105 kilograms. Since May 2024, an average of two truckloads of plastic have arrived at the plant each day.
Energy efficiency gains have accompanied the fuel transition. In 2024, the St Marys plant earned Natural Resources Canada’s ENERGY STAR for Industry certification, placing it in the top quartile for energy performance across Canada and the United States. After commissioning the new alternative fuels system, the team identified and corrected idle energy use, recovering approximately 540,000 kilowatt-hours per year, roughly 57 percent of that system’s consumption, and close to $52,000 in annual savings. Identifying a problem that precise and fixing it is what Act with Ownership requires in practice.
Questions about the St Marys alternative fuels project are welcome. Our Environmental Manager Canada is available by phone and can add you to the contact list for future updates. The Community Liaison Committee reviews local input and provides ongoing updates to residents and stakeholders in the area.
Open Dialogue is how St Marys Cement operates in every community where it works. Reach out with a question, a concern, or simply to understand what this project involves.
The permit application, technical studies, and supporting reports for the St Marys alternative fuels project are available. These include the ECA Application Form, the CO2 Emission Intensity Report, and supplementary studies submitted to the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks.
For broader environmental reporting on the St Marys plant, the Community Liaison Committee page has additional resources and meeting minutes, including quarterly ALCF usage updates.
Once the public comment process for this initiative is confirmed, this section will outline how to submit your input and when responses will be shared.
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