Environment

Blue Limestone of Hainaut: an eco-responsible choice

By choosing the local blue stone, you are choosing an exceptional natural material, that is close at hand. By taking advantage of this gift of nature from nearby, you will avoid long energy—intensive and expensive transport. You will also encourages age-old know-how, that guarantees incomparable quality and ensures perpetuation of local employment.

Its qualities are present in its natural state and make it an imperishable stone. 100% Made in Belgium, Blue Limestone of Hainaut is environmentally friendly. It would be difficult to favour a more local product.

ECO-RESPONSIBLE

ECO-RESPONSIBLE PRODUCTION

Natural blue stone from nature, is not ‘produced’. It is cut and processed in an entirely mechanical manner without any chemical or toxic additives. Carrières du Hainaut is committed to offering a high-quality natural stone as part of a sustainable and responsible approach to promoting local resources.

Natural, local & sustainable

RENEWABLE ENERGY

Close to 13,000 photovoltaic panels are installed producing an annual saving of 1.800 T CO2. This is the equivalent of what is absorbed by a 48.750 m2 forest.

WATER MANAGEMENT

The spring water is pumped to the public network and supplies more than 40,000 households. Mine water that is used in the process is retrieved, filtered and fed back into the closed internal circuit.

REPURPOSING OF SURFACE STRIPPING SOIL

By-products such as clay and topsoil are recycled by external partners to produce gravel and aggregates but also to fill and seal landfills. Or in agriculture to enhance soil where blue stone dust, commonly known as ‘Schlame’ is used.

PRESERVATION OF BIODIVERSITY

Carrières du Hainaut is also part of the European ‘Life in Quarries’ project that seeks to preserve and encourage the biodiversity present in the heart of the quarry.

LOCAL EMPLOYMENT

Today, the activity provides close to 3,000 jobs including 450 direct and 2,500 indirect jobs.

SOCIAL APPROACH

Carrières du Hainaut maintains lasting relationships with all local residents and take all necessary measures so that no nuisance is caused. They also offer visits to their workshops to all residents, schools and any other groups during open days or during organised visits by contacting the Office de Tourisme at Soignies.

KEY FIGURES

ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT

The ecological footprint of imitations or similar products compared to the Belgian blue limestone

16% higher

Asian blue limestone

60% higher

Ceramics

Biodiversity

LIFE IN QUARRIES

Carrières du Hainaut is a partner of the LIFE IN QUARRIES initiative, which aims to develop and maintain biodiversity in Walloon quarries. In fact, we strive to identify and protect the ecosystem of different animal species and, if necessary, to recreate and move it, so that animals can find refuge in the new landscape created by our extraction activities.