Oman: Oman's solid waste management entity, Be'ah, has reported progress in its strategy to transition solid waste from landfill disposal to refuse derived fuel (RDF), according to Oman Daily Observer.

In 2023, Be'ah launched initiatives focusing on transforming waste into RDF, electrical and electronic waste and green waste. The company has signed an agreement with Oman Cement Company to provide tyre derived fuel for its energy needs, eventually expanding to include RDF. A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed with Oman Cement during Oman Sustainability Week to explore the utilisation of RDF as an additional alternative fuel source, according to the company’s 2023 sustainability report.

Chair of Be’ah, Ahmed al Subhi, said "We take pride in our strategic resource management initiatives, having set ambitious targets for transitioning to a circular economy, including achieving 60% waste utilisation by 2025 and 80% by 2030.”

India: The Jaipur Heritage Municipal Corporation has successfully converted around 6000kg of seized single-use plastic into a revenue-generating resource by selling it to cement plants. The plastic was collected over the past three to four months from local markets as part of an anti-plastic campaign, according to the Press Trust of India.

Commissioner Abhishek Surana said "Disposal of the seized single-use plastic was a major issue. We assessed that a supply chain exists in the system and installed refuse derived fuel machines at dumping yards to shred the plastic and sell it to cement manufacturing plants. It has also started generating revenue for the corporation."

Switzerland: Holcim has acquired recycling, ready-mix concrete and aggregates company Cand-Landi Group. The company employs 250 people across its operations in Western Switzerland. Holcim plans for Cand-Landi Group to supply alternative raw materials and fuels for use at its Eclépens plant. It says that the acquisition will increase its recycling capacity of construction and demolition materials by 100,000t/yr.

Holcim CEO Miljan Gutovic said "The acquisition of the Cand-Landi Group will advance decarbonisation and circularity in Switzerland, a lighthouse market for innovation at Holcim. I look forward to welcoming all 250 employees of the Cand-Landi Group and investing in our next chapter of growth together."

Iceland: Norway-based Geminor and recycling company Islenska Gamafélagid plan to raise their exports of refuse to 25,000t/yr and to begin exporting new fractions of refuse. This expansion builds on a collaboration launched by the companies in 2020 to redirect materials from Icelandic landfills to waste-to-energy plants elsewhere in Northern Europe.

Geminor’s senior operations associate Helga Eggertsdottir said “Europe – and therefore also Iceland – is phasing out landfill, and therefore Icelandic waste will need better sorting. Limited domestic capacity for recycled resources means that the need for export will increase. This growing stream is made possible due to the substantial capacity of returning container transport from Iceland. The alliance between Geminor and Islenska Gamafélagid will continue to leverage Icelandic ‘waste’ as a resource, optimising the environmental and economic benefits of recycling. This cooperation is therefore reinforcing the commitment of both companies for a more sustainable waste management industry.”