6 - Vicat

Real estate, factories and equipment8 8.2. ENVIRONMENTAL POLICYtor equal to or below the benchmark to be achievedin 2012.In France, 2009 was the second year in the implementationof phase II of the national quota allocationplan (PNAQ II), under which the Group was allocated2,802 thousand tonnes in emission quotas. Given theslowdown in the market, the continued increase inalternative fuels, in particular, from biomass, andthe good control over the thermal performance ofthe plants, actual emissions were estimated at 2,024thousand tonnes of CO 2. The cumulative surplus(885,thousand tonnes) was kept by the companyfor future use in Phase III. In addition, the NationalQuotas Allocation Plan (PNAQ II) offers the Groupthe option to fulfill part of its obligation throughEmission Reduction Certificates (CER) ; the Groupwas therefore able to exchange quotas against CERsto the tune of 600 thousand tonnes and the balancingcash adjustment received was then recognizedin the income for the period.In 2009, the total emissions for the Group’s Cementbusiness were 8,752,898 tonnes of CO 2. In absoluteterms, these emissions have shown a net decrease,5.6 %. With the reduction in clinker production, emissionper tonne fell by 1 % to 815 kg of CO 2/tonne ofclinker, due essentially to the mix of production fromthe factories and the growing proportion of biomassfuels.8.2.5. Managing and recycling the water required forproductionWater management and recycling is a feature of theGroup’s three core businesses :• In the case of cement manufacture, water is usedonly for cooling and the Group is developing anapproach intended to minimize extraction from theenvironment by giving priority to recycling systemsand by collecting rainwater.• In the case of ready-mixed concrete, water is usedboth for incorporation into the product and forwashing the installations and vehicles. In France,the Ready-mixed concrete business continued implementationof the water management programbegun in 2007. In 2009, the process water recyclingfacilities at 25 % of the Béton France sites wereupgraded.• In the case of the aggregates business, the largeamounts of water extracted for washing materialsare offset by water recycling systems, as for exampleat the Sablières de Grésivaudan site, whichoperates in closed loop. The proportion of waterrecycled increases every year, reaching 72 % in 2009.The amounts posted under this heading in theGroup’s consolidated financial statements areshown in Note 1.7. of Section 20.2.2. “Appendix tothe 2009 Consolidated Financial Statements” of thisRegistration Document.2009 registration document - VICAT 69