Displaying items by tag: Holcim

Argentina: Holcim Argentina achieved 8.4% alternative fuel (AF) substitution in its cement production in its cement production in 2021. That year, it reduced its CO₂ emissions per tonne of cementitious material by 4.2% compared to 2017, to 505kg/t from 527kg/t.

Waste management partner Geocycle processed 140,000t of waste in 2021, up by 20% from 2020 levels. This included 4000t of waste tyres, which alone eliminated 2300t of CO₂ emissions. Geocycle inaugurated Argentina’s first municipal solid waste (MSW) classification facility in Córdoba in November 2021.

Austria: Lafarge Zementwerke used alternative fuel (AF) in 96% of the fuel mix at its Retznei, Styria, cement plant throughout 2021. CEO Berthold Kren congratulated the plant’s team on its ‘outstanding performance’ in phasing out fossil fuels. Kren added that the plant has also led the way in construction waste recycling.

India: ACC and Ambuja Cements have together installed a Geocycle Bubble Barrier plastic waste separator in Bhakra Beas Management Board Lake at Sunder Nagar, Himachal Pradesh. The installation will collect the waste for use as refuse-derived fuel at ACC’s Gagal cement plant in the state.

The Holcim India subsidiaries’ first such installation, on the Mantola Canal in Uttar Pradesh, has collected 500t of plastic waste since its commissioning in April 2021, and is targetting a total of 2400t in 2022.

Holcim India CEO and managing director Neeraj Akhoury said "We are committed to building a sustainable future by adopting clean and green technologies. Our efforts and expertise in co-processing has created a unique solution to sustainable disposal of the marine plastic waste that creates pollution. This initiative will also contribute towards promoting circular economy. Taking this mission ahead, we will continue our efforts to implement this innovative technology across the country."

US: Lafarge North America has reported that its Paulding, Ohio, plant achieved 99% alternative fuel (AF) substitution in its cement production, up from 95% in past years. The operator said that the fuel change saved 205,000t of CO₂ emissions in 2021.

Philippines: Holcim Philippines says that its waste management partner Geocycle processed 200,000t of biomass and industrial and municipal waste into alternative fuels (AF) and raw materials for use in its cement production in 2021.Global Cement previously reported that Holcim Philippines co-processed 100,000t of AF in 2020. The company is targeting 70% AF substitution in all of its cement production.

Poland: Lafarge Poland has laid the foundation stone for the Euro100m new kiln line at its Małogoszcz cement plant. The replacement of the three existing kilns and installation of an alternative fuel (AF) line aims to reduce the plant’s CO₂ emissions by 20% and its energy consumption by 33%. The company, a subsidiary of Switzerland-based Holcim, aims to make the cement plant into one of the EU’s most modern. China National Building Material (CNBM) subsidiary Nanjing Kisen International Engineering will carry out the work, which is scheduled for completion in early 2023.

Project director Krzysztof Byczyński said “One of the three kilns has already been demolished and in its place a new kiln will be built with the necessary installations. Preparatory works for the construction of a new kiln are currently underway.”

Vietnam: Holcim is using shoes as an alternative fuel in Vientam thanks to its new solid recovered fuel (SRF) plant from shredding specialist Untha, according to Equipment World.

The new SRF plant will use waste from Vietnam's largest shoe factory once it has been delivered. It was pre-assembled and tested in Austria and is currently being shipped by sea to Holcim in Vietnam. Delivery is expected in September 2015. The SRF plant will convert the waste by using an anti-explosive Atex-specification XR3000 Cutter waste shredder with two 113kW motors, conveyor, over-band magnet, control room and water-powered fire suppression technology. The plant can process 10t of material into the 8mm, high calorific value fuel.

Austria: UNTHA Shredding Technology is currently working on proposals for more than 250 global prospects, eager to reap the benefits of its innovative new XR-C waste shredder. European orders in the last six months stand at Euro5m, with Holcim and SITA the most recent clients to invest in the machine.

The robust XR Cutter is able to produce high-quality solid recovered fuel (SRF) in a single pass, with double the output per tonnage of competing machines. Input material can include bulky untreated waste. When comparing like-for-like tonnages, the XR uses 50% less power consumption than traditional static electro-hydraulic shredders.

The power savings are due to UNTHA's new high-torque, slow-speed 'Eco Drive' concept. Modern water-cooled synchronous motors work continuously without overheating, ensuring minimal disruption and downtime. This also keeps running and maintenance charges minimal, with typical wear costs significantly less than Euro1/t.

"The beauty of the XR machine is its flexibility," said Peter Streinik, UNTHA's head of shredding solutions for waste. "The cutting concept is completely configurable, enabling alternative fuel producers to manufacture SRF with a homogenous pre-determined particle size of 100 - 400mm, or a precise SRF with a 30mm fraction or less. Load-dependent speed controls also enable the XR's RPM and torque to be adjusted and optimised, in order to achieve throughputs of up to 70t/hr."

US: Regulators have scheduled a public hearing about Holcim's request to change the way it burns liquid wastes for fuel at its Holly Hill plant in South Carolina.

"We currently burn fuel in one place in the kiln and this permit will allow us to burn it further along in the process," said Holcim spokeswoman Robin DeCarlo. "It does not change the limits, but allows us more flexibility." Holcim burns a variety of hazardous materials as fuel in the place of fossil fuels. That includes waste solvents, oils, out-of-specification intermediates and products from various industries such as the paint, plastics and petroleum industries.

The public hearing is scheduled for 27 January 2015. The notice was released by the US Environmental Protection Agency and the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control. The plant is currently allowed to burn waste-derived fuel in its cement kiln. The permit will allow the plant to also treat and burn the fuel in the precalciner.

Holcim is also seeking a permit to construct a new stream channel designed to protect the plant from potential flooding. The project is awaiting approval by the US Army Corps of Engineers. DeCarlo said that the company expects to receive approval to proceed though is not certain when it will occur.