Boral Cement Works Berrima
The Boral Berrima Cement Works, located in the Southern Highlands region of NSW, produces up to 60 percent of the total amount of cement products consumed within the state.
Please note this site is not open to the public. All sales and product enquiries may only be directed to 0401 893 789, or you can send an online request.
Community Liaison Group (CLG) enquiries please refer to the Communications section.
Taylor Avenue
New Berrima NSW 2577
Australia
About Boral Berrima Cement Works
The Boral Berrima Cement Works is responsible for the supply of more than 60 percent of cement products in NSW and the ACT.
Construction of the Cement Works began in late 1927 and first operations started in May 1929. The neighbouring town of New Berrima was originally established in 1928 as housing for employees of the site.
Operating with one kiln (No 6), the Works takes limestone delivered by rail from the Boral Marulan South Limestone Mine and, after blending with other materials, burns it at high temperature to produce clinker.
The clinker, in the form of pellets, is ground to produce the cement powder and products with which consumers are familiar. The site employs around 115 people in operational and administrative roles.
Boral acquired the Works late in 1987 from Blue Circle Southern Cement, retaining the original owner's name until re-branding to Boral Cement during 2010.
General Approvals
The Boral Berrima Cement Works was commissioned in 1929 and has been operated continuously ever since. During the course of its history, the site has hosted six different kilns and a wide variety of infrastructure.
For many years, the Cement Works was reliant upon 'continuing use rights' as the basis for operating approval. Today, two main approvals inform the site's operating conditions.
They are:
- DA 401-11-2002-i, issued by the NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment (DPIE) on 12 May 2003 for the upgrade of Kiln 6, and
- DA 85-4-2005, issued by DPIE on 16 August 2005 for the establishment of Cement Mill 7.
These approvals have been subject to a number of modification applications which have subsequently been approved.
- Boral Berrima Cement Works - Kiln 6 Consolidated Consent (to MOD 13)
- Berrima Cement Works - Mill 7 Consent
The site also holds several development application (DA) approvals issued by Wingecarribee Shire Council for a number of the smaller buildings and structures on site.
Public Reporting
The Berrima Cement Works' planning consents include requirements to compile a range of reports and perform various audits. These offer an assurance that the provisions of each are being complied with.
Annual Environmental Management Reviews (AEMRs)
The Cement Works compiles an Annual Environmental Management Review (AEMR) at the end of each reporting year, capturing information about operations and performance against a range of criteria. The reviews can be found below.
Combined Kiln 6 and Cement Mill 7 Reviews
- Boral Berrima Cement Works - 2022 AEMR for Kiln 6 and Cement Mill 7
- Boral Berrima Cement Works - 2021 AEMR for Kiln 6 and Cement Mill 7
- Boral Berrima Cement Works - 2020 AEMR for Kiln 6 and Cement Mill 7
- Boral Berrima Cement Works - 2019 AEMR for Kiln 6 and Cement Mill 7
- Boral Berrima Cement Works - 2018 AEMR for Kiln 6 and Cement Mill 7
- Boral Berrima Cement Works - 2017 AEMR for Kiln 6 and Cement Mill 7
Supporting Attachments
- Appendices for AEMR 2022 (Noise Assessment)
- Appendices for AEMR 2020 (Noise Assessment)
- Appendices for AEMR 2018 - Part 1
- Appendices for AEMR 2018 - Part 2
- Appendices for AEMR 2017
Kiln 6 only
- Boral Berrima Cement Works - 2016 AEMR for Kiln 6
- Boral Berrima Cement Works - 2014 AEMR for Kiln 6
- Boral Berrima Cement Works - 2013 AEMR for Kiln 6
- Boral Berrima Cement Works - 2012 AEMR for Kiln 6
Cement Mill 7 only
- Boral Berrima Cement Works - 2016 AEMR for Cement Mill 7
- Boral Berrima Cement Works - 2014 AEMR for Cement Mill 7
- Boral Berrima Cement Works - 2013 AEMR for Cement Mill 7
- Boral Berrima Cement Works - 2012 AEMR for Cement Mill 7
Supporting Attachments
- Boral Berrima Cement Works - 2016 AEMR Attachments
- Boral Berrima Cement Works - 2014 AEMR for Kiln 6 Attachments
- Boral Berrima Cement Works - 2013 AEMR for Kiln 6 Attachments
- Boral Berrima Cement Works - 2012 AEMR for Kiln 6 Attachments 1-4
- Boral Berrima Cement Works - 2012 AEMR for Kiln 6 Attachments 5-8
Annual Rehabilitation Reporting
Environmental Audits - External
The planning consents for both Kiln 6 and Cement Mill 7 at the Berrima Cement Works include a provision that a tri-annual environmental audit is undertaken as a verification of compliance.
You can read the latest audit report below:
- Boral Berrima Cement Works - Environmental Audit 2017
- Boral Berrima Cement Works - Environmental Audit 2021
- Berrima Cement - No-Standard Fuels audit 2021
- Berrima Cement NSF Audit Report 2022
Solid Waste Derived Fuel (SWDF) Tracking Reports
- Six month Pollutant Tracking Report - October 2021
- Six month Pollutant Tracking Report - January 2022
- Six month Pollutant Tracking Report - September 2022
Protection of the Environment Legislation Amendment Act 2011 (POELA) reporting
The Berrima Cement operation, as well as many other Boral sites, has obligations under the Protection of the Environment Legislation Amendment Act 2011.
These obligations include providing public access to pollution reporting data. You can find out more about the Act and the results for the Berrima site here.
Public Feedback Register
Receiving feedback is an important part of maintaining successful operations.
Under the Berrima Cement Works' planning approvals, a register of complaints and their resolution is required to be made available for public review. You'll find the latest version of this register here.
Pollution Incident Notification Register
Under the NSW Protection of the Environment Act 1997, Boral is required to develop procedures for the notification of neighbours in the event of a 'pollution incident'.
Examples of pollution incidents include (but are not limited to) significant oil or hydrocarbon spills; release of large volumes of high pH (alkaline) water; and fires or significant smoke.
The procedure requires the establishment of a secure register of neighbour contact details which can be used for notification. This register was started in 2013.
If you live within a one kilometre radius of the Cement Works, you can register your details directly via email. Phone and mobile numbers, email addresses and so on can be included depending on your contact preference.
Solar Panel System Registry
Following a dust emissions 'event' which occurred during mid-2019, local residents requested that Boral seek and publish advice on how to remove cement-based dust from solar panels and roofs.
To assist with the process, we've established a registry of solar panel brands and types fitted to homes in New Berrima. We're using this registry to approach manufacturers and obtain the correct advice applying to each individual brand.
We're doing this because we've been advised that the variations in the manufacture and materials used by different solar panel brands make a singular solution very difficult.
If you're a resident of New Berrima only, you can supply us with your details for this registry via email.
Along with your name and address, we're looking for as much information as possible about your solar system - what brand it is, what model name or number, who you bought it from and so on.
The information we obtain will also be published on this website for everyone's use.
Operations
The manufacturing process at the Berrima Cement Works is based upon the extreme heating of limestone and other elements to generate clinker. This clinker is then ground into the base cement powder which you can buy at your local hardware store.
To find out more about how Boral runs its cement facilities, you can visit our About Cement page.
Solid Waste Derived Fuels (SWDF)
When operations began at the Boral Berrima Cement Works in 1929, the source of the heat energy needed for the extreme operating temperatures inside the site's kilns was coal.
This coal was readily supplied from the Berrima (Medway) Colliery, around 8 kilometres to the west of the Cement Works on the banks of the Wingecarribee River.
In 2013, the Colliery was placed by Boral into 'care and maintenance' for a number of reasons. Coal has been delivered to the Cement Works from the Illawarra region of NSW since then.
Just ahead of the Colliery's status change, Boral started to explore opportunities to integrate Solid Waste Derived Fuels (SWDFs) into the heat energy process.
As SWDFs replace a portion of coal used in production, and are made from reclaimed materials normally destined for landfills, the option to use them for heat energy at Berrima carries significant environmental and economic benefit.
Planning approval for the $12 million system required to blend SWDFs with coal was achieved in late 2016.
Construction commenced during 2017 and by Spring 2018, the SWDF system became part of the manufacturing process at Berrima.
What are SWDFs?
SWDFs are typically by-products of industry given a secondary use as a fuel for energy or heat.
In cement manufacturing, they can be used in combination with 'traditional' fuels (mainly coal) to provide the energy necessary for the high temperatures needed inside the kiln.
Use of SWDFs means Berrima has reduced its former total reliance upon coal for its energy needs.
In the process, Boral has been able to better position production costs so the Cement Works remains competitive within the Australian market.
At Berrima, two SWDFs were added to the site's planning approval in 2016 for use - Wood Waste-Derived Fuel (WWDF) and Refuse-Derived Fuel (RDF).
The site had previous approval to use rubber tyre 'chips', although these have not been used since the late 2000s.
WWDF consists of the off-cuts and leftovers of processes working with wood, such as furniture manufacturing.
It does not contain any commercial or native forestry material.
RDF is produced by processing combustible materials found in construction and demolition waste to a strict specification.
It's important to note it is not simply made from any waste, including domestic collections (home 'wheelie' bins).
Typically, SWDFs are made from materials which would have been destined for landfills, space for which comes at a premium in the populated areas of NSW.
On 16 August 2019, the Berrima Cement Works Solid Waste Derived Fuels Project was awarded the 2019 Environment Award at the annual Cement Concrete Aggregates Association (CCAA) NSW/ACT Innovation Awards ceremony.
Current progress (Nov 2020)
At the end of the 2019-20 financial year, the SWDF system was functioning at a rate of 26300 tonnes per year equivalent (5900 tonnes per year of refuse-derived fuel (RDF), and 20400 tonnes per year of wood waste-derived fuel (WWDF)).
This meant a reduction in coal consumption of 14800 tonnes.
The successful execution of the program to date has encouraged the site to investigate increasing the amount of SWDFs used in the system.
In order to achieve higher consumption, however, the system will need to be upgraded with a new chloride bypass.
The bypass is necessary to address components released from the SWDF materials during combustion which can affect end product quality.
Planning is now underway, with an associated development application being framed for submission to the NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment (DPIE).
The application is targetted for lodgement during early 2021, with aspirations that construction will begin in the latter half of the year.
The bypass project has also already benefitted from an almost $4.7 million grant out of the NSW Environmental Trust's Waste Less, Recycle More initiative.
This grant is the second achieved from the Trust for the SWDF system after initial construction was aided by a $4.08 million grant.
You can read more about the Waste Less, Recycle More program and the grants made to Berrima on the DPIE website.
The site is also exploring opportunities to increase the existing 100 000 tonnes limit for use of SWDFs to 200 000 tonnes per year once the bypass is completed.
This initiative would be accompanied by an associated alteration in the movement of trucks currently bringing SWDFs into the site.
These presently average one per hour across the currently approved delivery hours.
The site has also commenced looking at use of other types of SWDFs which are common place in kilns around the world.
Find out more
The path to establishing the SWDF Project was a long one and involved many hours of planning, studies and community engagement.
As a result, a large amount of information was generated for the local community which remains available for review.
If you would like a copy of any of this information, which includes newsletters, advertisements, community meeting presentations and so on, please send us an email.
Environmental Management
The Boral Berrima Cement Works has developed an Operational Environment Management Plan (OEMP) and a set of Environmental Management Plans (EMPs) over many years to guide site operations and environmental management.
The suite of management plans assist the operations to meet the terms of its environment protection licence (EPL) and planning approvals.
You can read the documentation below:
- Berrima works Blue Shale Quarry Forward Rehabilitation Program 2024 - 2026
- Berrima Shale Pit Environmental Compliance Report and Forward Program
- Boral Berrima Cement Works Blue Shale Quarry Rehabilitation Management Plan ML1723
- Boral Berrima Cement Works MOD 15 Construction Management Plan (May 2023)
- Boral Cement Works MOD 15 CEMP Approval Letter (May 2023)
- Boral Berrima Cement Works - Operational Environmental Management Plan (June 2023)
- Boral Berrima Cement Works - Air Quality Management Plan (May 2023)
- Boral Berrima Cement Works - Dust Management Plan (May 2023)
- Boral Berrima Cement Works - Noise Management Plan (May 2023)
- Boral Berrima Cement Works - Stakeholder Engagement & Consultation Plan (Aug 2017 - updated May 2023)
- Boral Berrima Cement Works - Traffic Management Plan (Jun 2023)
- Boral Berrima Cement Works - Waste Management Plan (May 2023)
- Boral Berrima Cement Works - Water Management Plan (June 2023)
Communications
Community Liaison Group (CLG) and community meetings
The Boral Berrima Cement Works has a long tradition of arranging community meetings to share information about the operations, review their performance with neighbours and stakeholders, and to gather feedback.
The Cement Works operates a Community Liaison Group (CLG) as a requirement of the site's planning approval.
The CLG, which re-formed in June 2019 to replace a series of regular open community meetings held between 2011-18, meets quarterly as a primary communication channel between the site and local residents.
As described in the planning approval, the CLG consists of community representatives, an appointed representative of Wingecarribee Shire Council, and Boral personnel. The current community and Council members are:
- Clive West - Berrima resident and Berrima Resident Association representative
- Andrew Wood - New Berrima resident
- Barry Arthur - Environment Manager, Wingecarribee Shire Council
Please note - as one of the members has resigned from the CLG, Boral is currently calling for Expressions of Interest regarding joining the CLG.
For more information, including nomination forms please read these documents:
- Code of Conduct - Berrima Cement Works
- Declaration of Pecuniary and Non-Pecuniary Interests
- Nomination Form - Representatives of Stakeholder Groups
- Nomination Form - Local Community Representatives
You can review the presentations and meeting notes for the last three years of CLG sessions below. If you would like to review documents from earlier meetings, please send an email.
To ensure the wider community remains 'connected' to the Cement Works, we also organise annual Whole of Community (WoC) Meetings.
These sessions are usually held at the end of each financial year and act as a 'report back' on the previous year's activities.
WoC meetings are also organised if any significant changes are planned at the Cement Works, or if there has been a major issue or topic needing broad communication.
You can also view the presentations from these sessions below.
CLG Meeting Presentations and Meeting Notes
- Boral Berrima Cement CLG Meeting Notes: 14 Nov 2023
- Boral Berrima Cement CLG Meeting Presentation: 14 Jul 2023
- Boral Berrima Cement CLG Meeting Notes: 14 July 2023
- Boral Berrima Cement CLG Meeting Presentation: 1 Dec 2022
- Boral Berrima Cement CLG Meeting Notes: 1 Dec 2022
- Boral Berrima Cement CLG Meeting Presentation: 29 Jul 2022
- Boral Berrima Cement CLG Meeting Notes: 29 Jul 2022
- Boral Berrima Cement CLG Meeting Presentation: 1 Apr 2022
- Boral Berrima Cement CLG Meeting Notes: 1 Apr 2022
- Boral Berrima Cement CLG Meeting Presentation: 5 Aug 2021
- Boral Berrima Cement CLG Meeting Notes: 5 Aug 2021
- Boral Berrima Cement CLG Meeting Presentation: 10 Dec 2020
- Boral Berrima Cement CLG Meeting Notes: 10 Dec 2020
- Boral Berrima Cement CLG Meeting Presentation: 3 Sep 2020
- Boral Berrima Cement CLG Meeting Notes: 3 Sep 2020
- Boral Berrima Cement CLG Meeting Presentation: 5 Dec 2019
- Boral Berrima Cement CLG Meeting Notes: 5 Dec 2019
- Boral Berrima Cement CLG Meeting Presentation: 26 Sep 2019
- Boral Berrima Cement CLG Meeting Notes: 26 Sep 2019
- Boral Berrima Cement CLG Meeting Presentation: 27 Jun 2019
- Boral Berrima Cement CLG Meeting Notes: 27 Jun 2019
WoC Meeting Presentations (2018-2022)
- Boral Berrima Cement WoC Meeting Presentation: 30 Nov 2021
- Boral Berrima Cement WoC Meeting Presentation: 25 Jul 2019
- Boral Berrima Cement WoC Meeting Notes: 25 Jul 2019
- Boral Berrima Cement 'Special' WoC Meeting Presentation: 6 Dec 2018
- (NOTE: Due to an IT technical failure, no Meeting Notes document is available for the 'Special' WoC Meeting of 6 Dec 2018).
- Boral Berrima Cement WoC Meeting Presentation: 2 Aug 2018
- Boral Berrima Cement WoC Meeting Notes: 2 Aug 2018
Community Updates
These are the latest newsletters and publications issued by the site. If you'd like access to older issues and information, please send us an email.
Community Contribution
The Berrima Cement operation has made significant contributions to the Southern Highlands community over many years through supporting activities and participating in events.
During this time, the site has employed generations of local people, providing a cornerstone for the economic and social development of the region.
Since Boral's stewardship of the site from the 1980s, this tradition of working with and contributing to the community has continued.
Community Partnerships
Boral Cement Berrima has forged strong links with a variety of community partners over its decades of operating. Examples of our partnerships include:
- Wingecarribee Shire Council - Jobs & Careers Expo
- Rotary - Southern Highlands Schools Science & Engineering Challenge
- Harper's Mansion Berrima - Plant & Garden Fair
Boral Corporate Partnerships at Berrima
Communities around the Berrima Cement Works also benefit from Boral's partnerships at the corporate level. The most significant of these is with Conservation Volunteers Australia (CVA) which has been in partnership with Boral since 1988.
Over the years, CVA has delivered its Biodiversity Classroom and Connected Communities programs at Berrima, mainly through the Berrima Public School.
Each of these programs, delivered on behalf of Boral, has assisted in enlightening both students and staff about their local environment, as well as delivering improvements to the school grounds.
In 2016, CVA also assisted at the Tudor House School, Moss Vale, creating a new 'bush tucker' vegetable garden and greenhouse spaces.
Berrima Cement is also a focus of Boral's partnership with Outward Bound Australia (OBA). The site co-supports a Youth Leadership Program with Boral's two Marulan South operations which is aimed at Year 9 students attending Moss Vale, Goulburn and Mulwaree High Schools.
The Program consists of an educational camp followed by the development and delivery of projects by participants which are designed to benefit their local community.
Leaving a legacy for Berrima
The Berrima Cement Works has also contributed to numerous community building and infrastructure projects which remain in active use today.
Some of these projects include:
- Mittagong SES - new Operations building (2013)
- Berrima Public School - Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Project (2012)
- Bundanoon Public School - garden seating project (2017)
- Mittagong Rugby League Club - cement for pathway and accessibility improvements (2015)
- Living Green - Revegetation along Wingecarribee River, Berrima and Cosgrove Park, Moss Vale (2011)
A Brief History of the Berrima Cement Works
- 1926 - Arthur Stanley Taylor decides to build the Cement Works for processing limestone from his Marulan South mine.
- 1927 - The Cement Works site is purchased and Southern Portland Cement formed. Equipment begins arriving at site for construction.
- 1928 - Subdivided land in New Berrima is offered for employee housing.
- 1929 - (24 May) Production starts with Kiln 2. Kiln 1 comes online later in the year.
- 1935 - Production of the first 'low heat' cement for the Sydney Metropolitan Water, Sewerage and Drainage Board.
- 1948 - Supply of 'low heat' cement to the Warragamba Dam construction project begins.
- 1954 - Kiln 3 comes online, lifting annual plant capacity to 260 000 tonnes. A decision is made later in year to commence Kiln 4, triggering a major site upgrade including a new raw mill, two new cement mills and a coal mill.
- 1964 - Kiln 5 begins production as the largest of its type in the British Commonwealth. It has a capacity of 435 000 tonnes per annum. A new cement mill, three 2000 tonne silos and a new coal mill are also built in support. Kiln 4 and 5 capacity is now 600 000 tonnes per annum.
- 1974 - Berrima becomes part of the Blue Circle Southern Cement group. Kilns 1-4 are gradually phased out of production through the early 1970s.
- 1978 - Kiln 6 is commissioned, producing 750 000 tonnes per annum.
- 1987 - Blue Circle Southern is acquired by the Boral Group, but the business retains Blue Circle branding.
- 1998 - $36 million upgrade increases Kiln 6 capacity to potential output of 1 million tonnes per annum.
- 2004 - A further $94 million upgrade to Kiln 6 and ancillary plant incorporates new technology and increases output to 1.35 million tonnes per annum.
- 2007 - Cement Mill No 7 is commissioned to cope with increased demand.
- 2010 - Blue Circle operations convert to the Boral brand.
- 2011 - Removal of Kiln 5 and other structures as part of a major site overhaul.
- 2016 - Approval received from the NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment (DPIE) for site to begin using Solid Waste Derived Fuels (SWDFs) as part of the energy mix for the kiln.
- 2017 - Construction begins on the plant and equipment needed to integrate SWDFs into production.
- 2018 - SWDF system completed and Proof of Performance Trial successfully executed.
- 2019 - SWDF feed system extended to allow greater intake of materials into energy mix. Second NSW Government grant received to support implementation of chloride bypass, allowing greater volumes of SWDFs to be used.
Built with Berrima Cement
Some of the best known public infrastructure built in NSW and the ACT has included cement produced at the Berrima Cement Works:
- Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Scheme
- Sydney Opera House
- Federal Parliament House
- High Court of Australia
- National Art Gallery, Canberra
- Anzac Bridge, Sydney
- Sydney Harbour Tunnel
- Motorway sections of the Hume, Pacific and Federal Highways.
What is an electrostatic precipitator (ESP)?
From time to time, you may see steam or white smoke being released into the air above the cement works. This is caused by an electrostatic precipitator trip.
What is an electrostatic precipitator (ESP)?
An electrostatic precipitator is a type of filter that uses static electricity to remove impurities from exhaust gases before they exit the stacks. Precipitators function by electrostatically charging particles in the gas stream. The charged particles are attracted to and deposited on plates or other collection devices. The treated gas then passes out of the precipitator and through a stack to the atmosphere.
When enough particles have accumulated on the collection devices, they are shaken off the collectors by mechanical rappers. The particulates fall into a hopper at the bottom of the unit, and are then taken away into the manufacturing process.
What is an ESP trip?
As described above, the ESP uses high electric current to separate the dust particles from the gases. Co is a flammable gas and it can catch fire if it is exposed to electric sparks. If gases contain CO at h certain level the current in the ESP automatically is switched off for a very short period of time to protect against any potential for a significant explosion of CO gas. That is a ESP trip.
Click to view a diagram of an ESP. Image supplied from Orsani.com.