Italy: The Italian cement and concrete association Federbeton says that investments in sustainable technologies in domestic cement production totalled Euro110m between 2017 and 2019, reducing carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions by 311,000t in 2019 alone, up by 12% year-on-year from 278,000t in 2018. An increased alternative fuel (AF) substitution rate of 6.7% in 2019 contributed to the reduction, up by 0.7% from 6.6%. Producers’ full-year alternative fuels consumption was 1.6Mt.

Spain: The Municipal Planning Department of Córdoba (GMU) has repealed Cementos Cosmos’ licence to burn alternative fuels in the cement kiln of its integrated Córdoba plant because it “goes against the provisions of the current General Urban Development Plan”, according to Europa Press. The decision marks a victory for local campaign group Córdoba Aire Limpio, which has been campaigning to stop waste being burned at the cement plant since a previous authorisation was issued in 2007.

UAE: Bee’ah has secured a solid recovered fuel (SRF) supply contract with Sharjah Cement. Emirates News Agency has reported that the contract covers the supply of at least 73,000t/yr for the period over which it is in effect.

Pravinchandra Bataviasaid, the chief executive officer (CEO) of Bee’ah, said "Companies and industries in the UAE must work together to realise new efficiencies and achieve the country’s sustainability objectives. We thank Bee’ah for its support and provision of a more environmentally responsible fuel that will allow us to reduce our carbon emissions and improve our environmental performance. With this agreement and other on-going arrangements with Bee’ah and other public and private sector establishments, Sharjah Cement will replace more than 30% of fossil fuel with alternative fuels.”

When it commissions its latest waste-to-energy plant in the Emirate of Sharjah in 2021, in partnership with Masdar, Bee’ah will also enable the region to meet its zero waste-to-landfill target.

Denmark: Norway-based Geminor says that it has secured a 120,000t solid recovered fuel (SRF) supply contract with Aalborg Portland Cement. Under the terms of the contract, the company will supply the producer with 40,000t/yr of SRF from 2021 until 2023, with an option for another two years. As a result, Geminor subsidiary Geminor Waste Treatment has invested Euro1.50m in establishing a new SRF production line in Aalborg. The company said, “full capacity for deliveries will be in place” in early 2021.

Geminor Denmark country manager Kasper Thomsen said, “We are very pleased to extend our cooperation with Aalborg Portland Cement, which has been running for several years already. This agreement entails a significant increase in volumes and constitutes a natural development of our collaboration.” He added, “Together with Aalborg Portland Cement we will sort, design and "fine-tune" a waste fraction that meets strict requirements regarding chlorine, biomass and other content. A goal in the long run is to create a good replacement for both petcoke and coal, and thus deliver in line with existing climate goals and the recent Danish waste regulations.”