France: LafargeHolcim subsidiary Lafarge France has completed a Euro6m modernisation of the two waste processing lines at its Port-La-Nouvelle cement plant. The final phase of modernisation aimed at increasing dosing and injection capacities, optimising unloading, replacing fire detection and protection systems and expanding the control laboratory. The company said that the modernisation will enable it to use 80,000t/yr of refuse-derived fuel (RDF) in cement production at the plant. It says that this will reduce carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions by 30,000t/yr. As a result, the plant’s fossil fuel consumption will decline by 75% in 2021 and by 90% in 2022 compared to 2020 levels. Its long-term aim is to become Europe’s first fossil fuel-free cement plant.

Spain: The regional government of Extremadura has granted a licence to Cementos Balboa for the use olive pumice and tyres as alternative fuels (AF) at its Alconera cement plant. Agencia EFE has reported that the company has begun work on modifications to the plant’s kiln line in order to enable it to reach a thermal substitution rate of 70%. The project includes building reception, storage, dosage and injection units for the fuels. Once complete the plant aims to process 130,000t/yr of olive pomace, 121,000t/yr of refuse-derived fuel (RDF) and 69,000t/yr of tyres. The plant currently uses petcoke.

Poland: The Polish Cement Producers Association (CPA) has warned of the possible effects of planned new environmental regulations on the cement industry’s supply of alternative fuel (AF). New regulations from the Ministry of Climate and Environment could potentially ban the use of some common fractions of refuse-derived fuel (RDF) at cement plants. The association says that this may precipitate a fuel shortage for cement producers for years to come. In 2020, Polish cement plants used 1.6Mt of RDF. The association added that RDF production for cement plants diverts 10% of total municipal waste from landfill.

CPA chair Krzysztof Kieres said, “The cement industry contributes to both saving natural resources and improving the quality of the environment, including by reducing the amount of waste deposited in landfills.”

The association said that the Polish cement industry has invested Euro2.23bn in modernisation since 1990, in large part in kiln line upgrades to reach its current AF substitution rate of 70%. Its AF substitution target is currently 90%.

India: The Indian Army has commissioned a 5t/day waste-to-fuel processing plant in Ambala Cantonment, Haryana. The Times of India newspaper has reported that the plant will produce refuse-derived fuel (RDF) for cement plants from various waste fractions. The total investment cost of the facility was around US$100,00.