Builders Merchants Journal – BMJ Publishing to Builders Merchants and the UK merchanting industry for more than 95 years
Earth Day, on 22nd April 2019, is a global celebration of our planet.
It is celebrated in more than 193 countries by over a billion people. This year as part of the Earth Day celebrations, CEMEX Europe colleagues specialising in CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) will be holding workshops for school children at schools near CEMEX operations. The theme of these workshops will be to support one of Earth Day’s main principles; to help end plastic pollution.
It is expected that the workshops will increase the environmental awareness of this significant topic by encouraging pupils to learn about recycling and upcycling as a method of transforming plastic waste into usable objects. 
2.5 billion tons of waste are generated in EU countries every year, according to the European Commission. The key reasons for this waste are the result of excessive consumption, over production and ill-informed buying habits without consideration of the longevity and durability of products.
CEMEX is committed to minimising the impact of its operations on the environment and to ensuring it is the best possible neighbour in the communities in which it operates.
Izabella Rokicka, Communications and CSR Director, CEMEX Europe comments: “As a company we develop products and building solutions to build more sustainable construction and infrastructure which communities need. At the same time, we aim to work with those communities to provide solutions that improve the quality of life for all.
“This project aims to educate young people in a fun and innovative way about waste and how they can help tackle some of the environmental issues that we face. Hopefully it will encourage them to challenge the throw-away culture, as well as reduce the amount of waste that is generated going forward. This is the first pan-European activity and it’s a great start to future projects.”
The workshops will be held throughout 2019 in the seven European countries where the company operates: UK, Spain, France, Germany, Poland, Czech Republic and Croatia. The workshops will be organised in cooperation with local schools, and run jointly with local social partners specialising in recycling and upcycling.
