Austria: Untha has announced the supply of an Untha XR3000C mobil-e primary shredder to Austrian Tyre Processes. The supplier says that the model’s twin 132kW motors produce refuse-derived fuel of a homogenous 50mm size, suitable for further processing into a cement fuel additive.

Its director of global business development Gary Moore said, “With the world’s raw materials rapidly depleting – and businesses and consumers alike demanding more environmentally responsible solutions – this is a fantastic example of clever engineering and innovative thinking coming together to change the face of the industry.”

India: The government of Chhattisgarh has begun purchasing dung from farmers and street cleaners in order to sell as a fuel mix additive to cement producers in the state. The state has established a 500t/day waste processing plant in Raipur District at a cost of US$17m in order to prepare the dung for use in cement plants. Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel said, “The scheme has multiple objectives, namely income generation and environmental conservation.”

Israel: The Environmental Protection Ministry (EPM) has granted Nesher-Israel Cement Enterprises a licence to substitute more refuse-derived fuels (RDF) for petcoke than was previously permitted at its 5Mt/yr integrated Ramle, Central District cement plant. The Times of Israel newspaper has reported that the licence also allows for greater metal emissions. The company said, “As is customary in the global cement industry, the Nesher plant in Ramle uses raw materials and alternative fuels, thus achieving a number of environmental goals, including reducing landfill, minimising the use of natural resources and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.”

India: Geocycle India has launched a “transparent and auditable waste management service” in the form of plastic waste collection with support of Cleanhub. Following a successful pilot in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, Geocycle will now collect used plastic packaging from its customers. The company said that the material will be co-processed by Ambuja Cement at its integrated Bhatapara plant in Chhattisgarh. Between 1 April 2019 and 30 March 2020 Geocycle supplied 21,700t of plastic for use as fuel to cement producers. The company said, “This has created a co-dependent business model which is a win-win for all the stakeholders.”