COVID-19

Lime and its derivatives are essential for water, wastewater and sewage treatment. They are required in the production of food and pharmaceutical products as well as the manufacture of paper, latex and glass products used in medical applications.

Most industries' operations rely on just-in-time delivery. If lime production were to cease, stocks of lime for the uses mentioned above would be rapidly depleted, in some cases in a matter of days.

Maintaining a reliable lime supply for clean drinking water and wastewater treatment facilities is a critical public health priority. In addition to human health, significant environmental and wildlife impacts are also of concern if wastewater discharge is not properly treated.

Without lime, there will be shortages of upstream inputs into food production and processing, as well as medical products, which are critical supply chains identified by governments as priorities.

Post-crisis, as governments move rapidly from a public health response to an economic recovery response, infrastructure and other major investments will rely on materials and products made with lime, including cement and steel production. Ensuring the lime industry is able to maintain an appropriate level of production and demand management during the crisis, will ensure supply of these key materials does not impact economic recovery initiatives.

In that context, Graymont has instituted the company’s pre-established pandemic plan to safely maintain production, modeled on the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) workforce and customer protection guidance protocols. More specifically, Graymont is taking the following key actions:

• Social distancing has been implemented company wide.
• To minimize the potential spread of the virus, all employees are required to contact their managers before coming to work if they have reason to believe that they have been exposed to the virus or are showing symptoms. Such employees are not permitted to return to work until Graymont is satisfied that the risk of exposure is minimized, symptoms have cleared, or the employee is cleared to return to work by a medical practitioner.
• Employees involved in the manufacture and production of lime already wear personal protective equipment (PPE), including respirators for specific tasks.
• Employees who can work from home are currently doing so. Where possible, Graymont is paying a portion of its workforce to remain at home on standby to assist Graymont’s efforts to maintain a healthy workforce and continue production as an essential business.
• Non-Graymont personnel (e.g. shippers, contractors and suppliers) are not permitted on premises or if they must enter, they are subject to screening. In some instances, carriers are restricted to staying in their vehicles.
• Enhanced hygiene and sanitation practices are in place at facilities.
• Training on recognition of symptoms for COVID-19, including how, when and where to report, is provided to employees in order to minimize risk of transmission.
• Employees are supported to access medical services to assess possible COVID-19 symptoms.
• Dedicated crisis teams are established to address issues as they arise.

Graymont continues to monitor and adjust its operations to manage and operate the business in a manner that maintains a safe workplace and work practices that follow current leading health organizations’ recommendations and complies with government orders in the relevant jurisdictions, while meeting the needs of our customers who supply essential and life sustaining products and services to our communities.