MIDLANDS STATE UNIVERSITY

FACULTY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES

DEPARTMENT OF GEOGRAPHY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE

NAMES: NOLUNGELO

SURNAME NGWENYA

REG NO. R172466F

LEVEL: 4.1
IMPACT OF CEMENT MANUFACTURING ON HUMAN HEALTH AND THE
ENVIRONMENT: CASE STUDY OF LIVETOUCH INVESTIMENTS (DIAMOND
CEMENT), KWEKWE, ZIMBABWE.

CHAPTER ONE
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1. Background to the study
The cement industry plays a major role in improving living standards all over the world by
creating direct employment and providing multiple cascading economic benefits to associated
industries. Cement is an extremely important construction material used for housing and
infrastructure development and a key to economic growth. Cement demand is directly associated
to economic growth and many growing economies are striving for rapid infrastructure
development which underlines the tremendous growth in cement production (Shraddha and
Siddiqui., 2014).

Despite its popularity and profitability, the cement industry causes harm to human health and it
deteriorates the environment. Cement is one of the most polluting industries: 5% of the world’s
total emission of greenhouse gasses is caused by cement production. Cement production is
known to contribute to the greenhouse effect due to the emission of carbon dioxide gas during
manufacturing process.

The following cement manufacturing processes have different activities that contribute to human
health and environmental deterioration: quarrying, crushing, grinding/raw milling and heating of
resources, Quarrying: quarry is an open pit mine that is created as heavy machinery digs into the
land to extract natural materials such as limestone, rocks, and shale. Limestone, the main
ingredient for cement production, is quarried by using explosives to blast the rocks from the
ground. After blasting, huge power shovels are used to load dump trucks for transportation to the
cement plant (Myanmar, World Cement, 2013). Raw milling involves mixing the extracted raw
materials to obtain the correct chemical configuration, and grinding them to achieve the proper
particle-size to ensure optimal fuel efficiency in the cement kiln and strength in the final concrete
product (Karstensen., 2006 & 2007). Blending or grinding, prepares the raw material for drying.
The crushed stones are moved into ball or tube mills, which are cylindrical rotating drums that
contain steel balls. These steel balls grind the materials into a fine powder, materials can be
ground in the mill. Heating the blended raw materials is the key to make cement. The blended
materials are dumped into the kiln, a cylindrical rotating furnace. As the kiln revolves, the
materials put inside it roll and slide downward for about several hours. Carbon Dioxide gas
(CO2) is released from the limestone in a process called calcination. Then, the raw materials
undergo a process called sintering, where they are heated at such a high degree that they become
partially liquid, but without totally melting. The materials then fuse together into round, marble-
sized, glass-hard balls called clinker. The clinker is then transported into a cooler for storage.

Cement production is one of the sources of industrial pollution, a single cement plant emits a
large amount of pollutants into the atmosphere. Furthermore, an increase in production output or
change in fuel type and usage as well as dust control technology affects the volume and
concentration of contaminant released. Global increase in urbanization has led to an upsurge in
cement demand (Adeniran et al, 2018). The need for local content, availability of raw materials
and local demand has resulted in the establishment of more cement plants (Arfala Y and Douch
J, etal 2018).

The main environmental issues associated with cement production are consumption of raw
materials and energy use as well as emissions to air. Waste water discharge is usually limited to
surface run off and cooling water only and causes no substantial contribution to water pollution.
The storage and handling of fuels is a potential source of contamination of soil and groundwater.

Additionally, the environment can be affected by noise and odors, the main pollutions of cement
productions include; cement dust, air pollution, water pollution, solid waste pollution, noise
pollution, ground vibration and resources depletion. The key polluting substances emitted to air
are dust, carbon oxides. The type and quantity of air pollution depend on different parameters,
e.g. inputs (the raw materials and fuels used) and the type of process applied.

Dust emissions are one of the most significant impacts of cement manufacturing and associated
with handling and storage of raw materials (including crushing and grinding of raw materials),
solid fuels, transportation of materials (e.g. by trucks or conveyor belts), kiln systems, clinker
coolers, and mills, including clinker and limestone burning and packaging activities (IFC 2007).

Dust is one of the main occupational hazards that causes chronic diseases problems in cement
manufacturing industries. Workers in cement factories are exposed to different health hazards
during cement production and handling, including cement dust, high temperature, and noise.
However, the major occupational hazards in cement production industry are cement particles
which are emitted to the environment at most stages of production process with higher
concentration in the packing and crusher section (Zeleke etal 2010). Packaging is the most
polluting process (in terms of dust) in cement production (Cumbane 2011).

These emissions are not only deteriorating air quality but also degrading human health.
Emissions have local and global environment impact resulting in global warming, ozone
depletion, acid rain, biodiversity loss, reduced crop productivity etc, (Pariyar., 2013). Scientific
evidence indicates that air pollution from the combustion of fossil fuels causes a spectrum of
health effects from allergy to death. The results of several studies showed that these emissions
are adversely affecting human health in a variety of ways, like itchy eyes, respiratory diseases
like tuberculosis, chest discomfort, chronic bronchitis, asthma attacks, cardio-vascular diseases
and even premature death (Mehraj et al., 2013).

Ground water contamination is another impact of cement manufacturing caused by solid waste
disposal, these solid wastes include clinker production waste, mainly composed of spoil rocks,
which are separated at the quarry or removed from the raw materials during the raw meal
preparation, as well as off-specification clinker wastes. Another potential waste stream involves
the kiln dust removed from the bypass flow and the stack, if it is not recycled in the process or in
the final product. Limited waste is generated from plant maintenance, for example used oil and
scrap metal, kiln refractory materials that may contain heavy metals.

Slips, trips, and falls; occur during cement manufacturing due to contact with falling or moving
objects; and lifting and overexertion.

1.2. Statement of the problem.

Livetouch investments (Diamond Cement) involves numerous activities in the cement

manufacturing processes that if not dealt with leads to fatalities. Workers at this cement
manufacturing industry are likely exposed to dust, heat and vibration. Additionally, the
environment: vegetation deterioration and underground water contamination are a result of
cement manufacturing.

Cement dust, not only deteriorates the quality of air but also human health, animal health and
vegetation. The effect of cement dust mostly seen between 2-4 km radius. Cement dust is one of
the major air pollutants that consists of hazardous materials such as alkaline compound (lime)
that are corrosive to human tissue, silica that is abrasive to skin and causing damage to lung
(silicosis), and chromium that can cause allergic reaction (pulmonary as well as skin).

The most common route for pollutants to enter the human body is by inhalation, and the most
common effect of cement pollution is damage to the respiratory system. Exposure to cement
pollutants can cause headache, eye irritation, skin allergies, chest pain, respiratory problems
(such as, asthma, shortness of breath, allergic reaction that interference with breathing, cough
and wheezing) and lung problems (such as, chronic bronchitis, emphysema, tuberculosis and
pneumonia) when the air is polluted by cement particulates.

The water for cooling the mills is contaminated by oils and spills are common contaminating the
water systems. The effluent from the plant is discharged into aquatic bodies, causing aquatic
acidification, caused mainly by the nitrate and sulphate compounds.

Workers at Livetouch are likely to have musculoskeletal disorders due lifting equipment and
working environment that allow them to bend during their working hours, for example lifting
cement bags and other heavy equipment.

1.3. Objectives of the study

13.1. General objective.

To identify sources of occupational safety and hazards associated with cement manufacturing
during production, storage to dispatch processes.
1.3.2. Specific objectives.

To asses impacts of cement production on both human health and on the environment.

To evaluate human health and environmental problems associated with cement production.

To minimize damage to human health (especially workers at industry) and on the environment.

1.4. Justification of the study

The reasons to investigate on the impacts of cement production are to protect the surrounding
vegetation, underground water and the workers at the cement manufacturing companies in
Zimbabwe. The research on this study will bring out the solutions to each and every problem
resulting from cement production.

More so, vast studies have been undertaken to highlight all the grey areas associated with
cement production but there has been serious negligence on the treatment of both human health
and the environment in matters to do with cement production whereby unethical practices by
cement production companies place human health and the environment at risk.

This study seeks to explore the impacts of cement production on both human health and the
environment, therefore the benefits of studying and or researching on impacts of cement
production on human health and environment are to be revealed, this research helps to enhance
appreciation of safety health and environmental management by investors, through giving a clear
highlight of associated benefits. The study seeks to classify the factors contributing to
occupational accidents and hazards affecting and deteriorating the environment. The study is
significant for the cement industry is faced with unique safety and health problems that require
special attention.

The study will add information to the already existing information on impact of cement
manufacturing industry on human health and the environment. The knowledge gained will enable
the Livetouch investments and other cement manufacturing companies and government policy
makers to institute effective measures that seek to minimise degradation of the environment as
advocated for by the Environment Management Act and Pneumoconiosis act.

1.5. Study area

Livetouch (Diamond Cement) is based in Midlands in the town Kwekwe at Rutendo, it is located
just a kilometer from the Rutendo community at the North of Steelmakers Company. The town is
approximately 223km South West of Harare the capital city. Redcliff is in region 3 with warm
conditions. The terrain is hilly with a ridge separating Rutendo and Torwood. Vegetation is
dominantly bushing and trees. It is located in the tropics but its high altitude modifies this to a
warm temperate climate. The average annual temperature is 19 °C (66 °F). As with much of the
Highveld, summers are long but not hot as the temperature depends on the amount of cloudiness
and indirectly the amount of rain received. Drought years are hotter than wet years. The climate
is hot and wet during the summer rainy season from mid-November to mid-March, with cool,
dry weather from May to mid-August in the winter season, and warm dry weather from August
to mid-November. Winters are characterized mainly by their cold nights, with an average
minimum temperature of 7 °C (45 °F), and are the sunniest time of the year.
References

Adeniran JA, Yusuf RO, Fakinle BS, Sonibare JA (2018) Air quality assessment and modelling
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Arfala Y, Douch J, Assabbane A, Kaaouachi K, Tian H, Hamdani M (2018) Assessment of

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Karstensen K.H. (2006). Formation and Release of POPs in the Cement Industry, Second
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Karstensen K.H. 2007 Cement Production Technology, National Policy on High Temperature
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