INFORMATION ABOUT EPD OWNER
Owner of the EPD: Heidelberg Materials România S.A.
Address: 1 A, Șos. Bucureşti-Ploieşti, Bucharest Business Park, Building C2, 1st Floor, 1st District, 013681, Bucharest, Romania
Contact:
Șerban Camelia, email: camelia.serban@heidelbergmaterials.com Paleu Iuliana, email: iuliana.paleu@heidelbergmaterials.com
Address and contact information of the LCA practitioner commissioned by the EPD owner: Șerban Camelia, email: camelia.serban@heidelbergmaterials.com Paleu Iuliana, email: iuliana.paleu@heidelbergmaterials.com
Description of the organisation:
Heidelberg Materials Group
For over 150 years, Heidelberg Materials has been a global leader in providing a diverse range of building materials and services. The Group’s core activities include the production and distribution of cement, aggregates, concrete, and asphalt. Leveraging its shipping capabilities, Heidelberg Materials markets its products worldwide, with a focus on cement, clinker, secondary materials, and both solid and alternative fuels.
As one of the largest integrated building materials manufacturers globally by revenue, Heidelberg Materials operates across five continents. Its fully integrated business model spans the entire value chain - from raw material extraction and processing into cement, to ready-mix concrete production, recycling, and final distribution to customers. These operations are further supported by dedicated technology and service competence centers at regional and national levels, ensuring efficiency and innovation throughout the value chain.
From
HeidelbergCement România to Heidelberg Materials
In 2023, we celebrated 25 years of HeidelbergCement’s presence in Romania, a milestone that coincided with a significant rebranding initiative. As a result, HeidelbergCement România proudly became Heidelberg Materials România.
The rebranding process was a necessary evolution, as the “HeidelbergCement” brand no longer fully represented who we are, the values we uphold, and the future we envision. For years, we have been more than just a cement supplier, offering a diverse range of building materials, solutions, and services.
We remain true to the “Heidelberg” in our name: a trusted world leader in our industry, with 150 years of group-wide experience and 25 years of presence in Romania. Our new name marks continuity, but at the same time represents change.
Heidelberg Materials România
With investments of more than €600 million, Heidelberg Materials România is one of the most important German investors in Romania and operates an extensive network comprising three Cement Plants, 18 RMC plants, 8 aggregate quarries, and 3 ballast pits. Active on the local market since 1998, the company has invested around €95 million in modernizing its cement, RMC, and aggregates divisions. These investments have been directed primarily toward reducing environmental impact and advancing sustainability across its operations.
Entities in Romania:
1. Cement
- Tașca Cement Plant
- Chișcădaga Cement Plant
- Fieni Cement Plant
- Alternative fuels facility
2. Aggregates
- 8 quarries and 3 ballast pits
3. Concrete
- 18 RMC stations
Products:
The company produces and sells various classes of cement and concrete, including high-strength, road paving, hydraulic works, and general use, as well as quarry and gravel pit aggregates.
This EPD covers information about cement type CEM II/ A-LL 42,5 R, produced in Tașca Cement Plant.
Product-related or management system-related certifications:
The company has implemented, certified, maintains and continuously improves an integrated management system, according to EN ISO 9001:2015 (certificate no. 1040), EN ISO 14001:2015 (certificate no. 070M), EN ISO 45001:2023 (certificate no. 015S) and a social accountability management system according to SA 8000:2014 (certificate no. 044R).
Name and location of production site(s):
Tașca Cement Plant
Tașca Village, Tașca Commune, 617455, Neamț county, Romania
Cement
RMC
Aggregates
LCA information
Declared unit:
The declared unit is 1 tone of CEM II/ A-LL 42,5 R, produced and delivered in bulk from Tașca Cement Plant.
Reference service life: Not relevant due to the „cradle to gate” boundary conditions.
Time representativeness:
The production data correspond to the period from January 1st, 2024 to December 31st, 2024.
Geographical scope:
CEM II/ A-LL 42,5 R is produced in Romania. Coverage of global for raw materials (A1) and transport (A2).
Database(s) and LCA software used:
GCCA Industry EPD Tool for Cement and Concrete (V5.2), International version and LCA Database (v.5.2), Ecoinvent version 3.10.
EPD/LCA Tool used:
GreenDelta, GCCA Industry EPD Tool for Cement and Concrete, International Version, V5.2.
Description of system boundaries:
The LCA for CEM II/ A-LL 42,5 R has a “cradle-to-gate” scope, with the end of life cycle being the outbound weigh bridges of the Cement Plant, including modules A1 to A3. This declaration includes all product stages “from cradle-to-gate” (modules A1-A3), and the product complies with the conditions required in EN 15804:2012+A2:2019/AC:2021 relating to the exclusion of modules B1 to D (the product is physically integrated into another product during installation in a way that it cannot be physically separated at end of life, the product is no longer identifiable at end of life as a result of a physical or chemical transformation process and it does not contain biogenic carbon).
Scenarios for these modules will be developed on the final product (for example: concrete and mortar).
The selected system boundaries comprise the production of cement including raw material extraction up to the finished product at the plant gate.
Module A1 - Raw materials supply: This module takes into account extraction and processing raw materials and primary fuels used in production process. Granulated blast furnace slag (GBFS) is used as a supplementary cementitious material in the composition of this type of cement. GBFS is a byproduct of metallurgical industry, resulting from the production process of steel in blast furnaces. For the clinker used in the production of this type of cement, specific data from the manufacturer was used.
Module A2 - Transport: This module includes transportation of raw materials and fuels from supplier to plant gate and internal transports. Transportation types are considered as railway and roadway. The transport routes and the distances are supplier-specific.
Module A3 - Manufacturing: This module includes energy and water consumption during the manufacturing process, as well as the processing of any waste arising from this stage. The main production processes are:
- Quarry Operations
- Crusher
- Raw Mill & Coal Mill
- Rotary Kiln
- Cement Mill/ Slag Dryer
- Bulk loading
Power mix - Heidelberg Materials România purchased electrical energy for the cement production needs at the Tașca Cement Plant from the market.
The source of electrical energy provided by the supplier comes from a mix of renewable and non-renewable primary energy and is confirmed by Romanian Energy Regulatory Authority.
The GHG-GWP of electricity is 0.335 kg CO2 eq./kWh of electricity mix.
The GHG-GWP of natural gas is 0.2 kg CO2 eq./kWh of natural gas.
Process flow diagram:
Process flow diagram of the product system, divided into the life-cycle stages and modules (or other division of the product life cycle, if defined in the PCR), showing the main processes included and the system boundary of the LCA. The diagram shall make it clear when the end-of-waste state is reached for main input flows of reused/recycled materials and recovered energy, and for output flows of reused/recycled materials and recovered energy exiting the end-of-life stage.
Process Flow Diagram
Primary raw materials
Secondary materials
Emission into air
A1: Raw materials supply (upstream processes)
Primary fuels
A2: Transport to the production site (upstream processes)
Waste to be disposed of Additives
A3: Manufacturing (core processes)
Data collection and quality
For the calculation of the LCA, the software GCCA’s Industry EPD Tool for Cement and Concrete (V5.2), International version, was used. The Ecoinvent v3.10 database was used for general data.
All material flows of the processes are based on company and site-specific data gathered for one year of operation, from 1st January 2024 to 31st December 2024.
The technical staff provided all the necessary raw data and no data was missing.
The specific data production and background data has been collected on plant level. The reliability of the data is additionally confirmed by validation and verification process.
CO2 emission factors for fuels and raw materials are measured throughout the year by accredited laboratories.
The emissions data used in the life cycle assessment are based on emissions measurements required by the environment legislation and come from continuous measurements collected at the on-site for the year 2024.
WBCSD Cement Sustainability Initiative Cement CO2 and Energy Protocol, Version 3.1, CO2 Emissions and Energy Inventory is used in case of lack of basic data.
The data quality assessment covers geographical, technological and temporal representativeness, and is based on the data quality criteria of Annex E, Table E.2 of EN 15804.
No poor or very poor relevant data used for geographical, technological and temporal representativeness.
The scale of values used is from 1 to 5, where 1 is the lowest score and 5 is the highest.
The overall data quality has been evaluated as good, obtaining 4.25 points out of 5, as detailed below.
Geographical Representativeness for each input:
- Raw materials - is mostly European and the score is 4 points;
- Manufacturing - the production process takes place in our own plant and the score is 5 points;
- Energy Source - electricity grid comes from specific supplier and the score is 5 points;
- Transport to the production site – the data is Global and the score is 3 points.
Technical Representativeness for each input:
- Raw materials – the data is from site-specific and the score is 5 points;
- Manufacturing – the production process was modelled using the site-specific data and the score is 5 points;
- Energy Source - electricity grid is known and is site-specific data, so the score is 5 points;
- Transport to the production site – not fully from site-specific transport and the score is 4 points.
Time Representativeness - the site-specific data is from 2024, while the database used is Ecoinvent 3.10, so the total score is 4.
Cut-off rules
According to EN 15804, the cut-off criteria are 1% of renewable and non-renewable primary energy consumption and 1% of the total mass of materials input to these elementary processes.
The total neglected input flows per module, for modules A1-A3 must be a maximum of 5% of the consumption of energy and mass.
More than 99% of the materials and energy consumption have been included, as well as available emission measurements transportation where necessary.
The following processes have been excluded from the LCA study:
- the use of grinding balls; - capital equipment production; - equipment maintenance; - human labor and employee transport; - long term emissions.
Allocation
Wherever possible, allocation has been avoided. The production process was divided into two sub-processes: clinker production and cement production.
Input and output data associated with each sub-process were meticulously recorded. When data couldn’t be directly attributed to a specific product, they were assigned based on physical properties (such as mass).
The volumes of water (both consumed and recycled) and waste were allocated to each product based on the mass ratio of clinker to cement.
Secondary materials, co-product allocations
No co-products occur during the production of clinker and cement, thus eliminating the need for allocations related to byproducts.
In the case of blast furnace slag, a co-product from steel production used as a cement constituent, was applied an allocation factor according to the economic value of material.
Modules declared, geographical scope, share of specific data (in GWP-GHG results) and data variation (in GWP-GHG results):
Declaration of sources and share of primary data: The share of primary data is calculated in accordance with the pre-verified tool. The quality data assessment has been conducted in conformity with the requirements of the applicable PCR and has been developed in an external calculation file. The assessment covers at least 87% of the results. (X=included; ND=module not declared; GLO=Global; RO=Romania)
ENVIRONMENTAL
In the following tables is presented the environmental performance of the declared unit “1 tone of CEM II/ A-LL 42,5 R, produced and delivered in bulk from Tașca Cement Plant”, for modules A1 - A3.
The results are relative expressions and do not predict impacts on endpoint categories, exceedance of certain levels, safety margins or risks.
Mandatory impact category indicators according to EN 15804
* Disclaimer:
The estimated impact results are only relative statements, which do not indicate the endpoints of the impact categories, exceeding threshold values, safety margins and/or risks.
** The indicated values (gross values) include the greenhouse gas emissions from the incineration of secondary fuels at clinker production. The net GWP-total (excluding the emissions from the incineration of secondary fuels at clinker production) is 6.59E2 kg CO2–eq. The net GWP-fossil is 6.59E2 kg CO2-eq. The net GWP-biogenic is 6.9E-2 kg CO2-eq.
Additional mandatory and voluntary impact category indicators
* The indicated values (gross values) include the greenhouse gas emissions from the incineration of secondary fuels at clinker production. The net GWP-GHG (excluding the emissions from the incineration of secondary fuels at clinker production) is 6.59E2 kg CO2–eq.
1This indicator accounts for all greenhouse gases except biogenic carbon dioxide uptake and emissions and biogenic carbon stored in the product. As such, the indicator is identical to GWP-total except that the CF for biogenic CO2 is set to zero.
Resource use indicators
Waste indicators
Output flow indicators
Other non mandatory extra indicators
Results per functional or declared unit of 1 tone of CEM
Emissions from calcination and removals from carbonation (CC)
Emissions from combustion of secondary fuels from renewable sources used in production processes (CWRS)
Emissions from combustion of secondary fuels from non-renewable sources used in production processes (CWNRS)
Removals and emissions associated with biogenic carbon content of the bio-based product (GWP-prod)
Removals and emissions associated with biogenic carbon content of the bio-based packaging (GWP-pack)
Other non mandatory environmental performance indicators
Results per functional or declared unit of 1
ABBREVIATIONS
Abbreviation
General Abbreviations
EN European Norm (Standard)
EPD Environmental Product Declaration
ISO International Organization for Standardization
LCA Life Cycle Assessment
PCR Product Category Rules
c-PCR Complementary Product Category Rules
CEN European Committee for Standardization
CPC Central product classification
Environmental Impact Indicators (EN 15804)
GHG Greenhouse gas
GWP Global Warming Potential (kg CO₂ eq.)
GWP-fossil Global Warming Potential fossil fuels (kg CO₂ eq.)
GWP-biogenic Global Warming Potential biogenic (kg CO₂ eq.)
Definition
GWP-luluc Global Warming Potential land use and land use change (kg CO₂ eq.)
GWP-total Global Warming Potential Total (kg CO₂ eq.)
GWP-GHG Global Warming Potential for greenhouse gases (kg CO₂ eq.)
ODP Depletion Potential of the stratospheric ozone layer (kg CFC-11 eq.)
AP Acidification Potential, Accumulated Exceedance (mol H+ eq.)
EP Eutrophication Potential
EP-freshwater Eutrophication Potential, fraction of nutrients reaching freshwater end compartment (kg P eq.)
EP-marine Eutrophication Potential, fraction of nutrients reaching marine end compartment (kg N eq.)
EP-terrestrial Eutrophication Potential, Accumulated Exceedance (mol N eq.)
POCP Formation potential of tropospheric ozone (kg NMVOC eq.)
ADP Abiotic Depletion Potential
ADP-minerals&metals Abiotic depletion potential for non-fossil resources (kg Sb eq.)
ADP-fossil Abiotic depletion for fossil resources potential (MJ)
WDP Water (user) deprivation potential, deprivation-weghted water consumption (m³)
Resource Use Indicators
PERE Use of renewable primary energy excluding renewable primary energy resources used as raw materials (MJ)
PERM Use of renewable primary energy resources used as raw materials (MJ)
PERT Total use of renewable primary energy resources (MJ)
PENRE Use of non-renewable primary energy excluding non-renewable primary energy resources used as raw materials (MJ)
PENRM Use of non-renewable primary energy resources used as raw materials (MJ)
PENRT Total use of non-renewable primary energy resources (MJ)
SM Use of secondary material (kg)
RSF Use of renewable secondary fuels (MJ)
NRSF Use of non-renewable secondary fuels (MJ)
FW Use of net fresh water (m³)
Abbreviation Definition
Waste Indicators
HWD Hazardous Waste disposed (kg)
NHWD Non-Hazardous Waste disposed (kg)
RWD Radioactive Waste disposed (kg)
Output Flow Indicators
CRU Components for Re-use (kg)
MFR Material for Recycling (kg)
MER Materials for Energy Recovery (kg)
EEE Exported Energy, Electricity (MJ)
EET Exported Energy, Thermal (MJ)
Other non mandatory extra indicators
CC Emissions from calcination and removals from carbonation (kg CO2 eq.)
CWRS Emissions from combustion of secondary fuels from renewable sources used in production processes (kg CO2 eq.)
CWNRS Emissions from combustion of secondary fuels from non-renewable sources used in production processes (kg CO2 eq.)
GWP-prod Removals and emissions associated with biogenic carbon content of the bio-based product (kg CO2)
GWP-pack Removals and emissions associated with biogenic carbon content of the bio-based packaging (kg CO2)
Other non mandatory environmental performance indicators
PM Potential incidence of disease due to PM emissions (Disease incidence)
IRP Potential Human exposure efficiency relative to U235 (kBq U235 eq.)
ETP Potential Comparative Toxic Unit for ecosystems (CTUe)
HTPC Potential Comparative Toxic Unit for humans – cancer (CTUh)
HTPNC Potential Comparative Toxic Unit for humans - non-cancer (CTUh)
SQP Potential soil quality index (dimensionless)
Lifecycle Stages / Modules
B7
C1 Deconstruction/Demolition
C2 Transport to waste processing
C3 Waste processing
C4 Disposal
D Reuse-Recovery-Recycling potential
Abbreviation
Other Relevant Terms
MJ Megajoule
kg Kilogram
m³ Cubic Meter
NMVOC Non-Methane Volatile Organic Compounds
Sb eq. Antimony Equivalents
P eq. Phosphorus Equivalents
N eq. Nitrogen Equivalents
CFC-11 eq. Chlorofluorocarbon-11 Equivalents
CO₂ eq. Carbon Dioxide Equivalents
kg C Kilograms of Carbon
kg CO₂ eq. Kilograms of Carbon Dioxide Equivalent
ND Not Declared
GLO Global
RO Romania
GCCA Global Cement and Concrete Association
RMC Ready-mixed Concrete
Definition
REACH Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals
GBFS Granulated blast furnace slag
WBCSD World Business Council for Sustainable Development
References
a) General Programme Instructions of International EPD System. Version 5.0.1
b) PCR 2019:14. Construction Products. Version 2.0.1, date 2025-06-05
c) c-PCR-001 (TO PCR 2019:14) Cement and Building Lime (EN 16908:2017+A1:2022), Product Group Classification: UN CPC 374, Version 1.0.0, date 2025-04-08
d) EN 197-1:2011 „Cement. Part 1: Composition, specifications and conformity criteria for common cements”
e) ISO 14025:2010 „Environmental labels and declarations. Type III environmental declarations. Principles and procedures”
f) EN 15804:2012+A2:2019 and EN 15804:2012+A2:2019/AC:2021 „Sustainability of construction works – Environmental product declarations - Core rules for the product category of construction products”
g) EN 16908:2017+A1:2022 „Cement and building lime - Environmental product declarations - Product category rules complementary to EN 15804”
h) GCCA Industry EPD Tool for Cement and Concrete (V5.2, June 2025), International version and LCA Database (v.5.2, June 2025)
i) Background Reports (V5.2) and Environmental Data Sheet|Self Declaration (V5.2) for Portland cement clinker and cement CEM II/ A-LL 42,5 R, generated by GCCA Industry EPD Tool for Cement and Concrete, 20.08.2025
VERSION HISTORY
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