Water is a resource worth protecting and the basis of all life. We must therefore avoid all harmful environmental impacts in all our processes along the value chain and ensure that water is used carefully as a resource. This applies in particular to water protection areas and areas affected by water risks. The applicable laws, guidelines and notices form the framework for the extraction, application and use of water.

By continuously optimizing our products, technologies and systems, we are increasingly acting in water cycles and thus reducing the use of fresh water. Here, we are focusing in particular on the use of recycled water (RC water), which comes from recycling plants in concrete production, for example. The recycled water produced is 100% reused in the cycle and used, for example, in the production of our concretes, provided this is technically and normatively possible. In principle, we are already able to cover almost all of the water required for concrete production with recycled water.

We carry out regular internal and external water quality tests on the basis of the applicable laws and water authorities. Particularly strict rules apply to activities in water protection areas. But it is not only there that we focus on the careful use of water as a resource. The use of hazardous substances and water-polluting substances is essential during construction work and in our production plants, which is why the correct handling of these hazardous substances is of great importance for the preservation of our waters and the safety of people. In accordance with the precautionary principle, we prevent the leakage of hazardous substances from plants so that no contamination occurs. The duty of care under the Water Resources Act and other binding obligations form the framework for handling hazardous substances. Our aim is to constantly reduce the use of hazardous substances and to examine the replacement of these substances with less or non-hazardous alternatives (substitution). We do not use particularly hazardous substances, as defined in the REACH regulation, in our products, buildings and services.