No new cement plants

No new cement plants

JAKARTA (JP): The Ministry of Forestry will stop issuing
recommendations to any new cement plant in Java because of
environmental consideration.

But the ministry will still process applications that had
already been received by yesterday, the Director General of
Inventory and Forest Land Use, Sumahadi, told reporters.

"There are eight projects being processed," he said.

A recommendation from the Ministry of Forestry is necessary
for all new cement projects which involved the conversion of
forest areas.

The decision was taken in response to a letter from State
Minister of Environment Sarwono Kusumaatmadja who said that new
cement plants and quarrying of cement raw materials could have
adverse effects on the already depleted environment in Java.

Java's forest area has dwindled to 2.9 million hectares or
22 percent of its total land area, below the 30 percent minimum
limit required to ensure sustainable water reserves.

A cement plant requires an area of at least 1,000 hectares for
lime and clay quarries, Sumahadi said. (08)