Mexico: Holcim Mexico has spent US$5.5m on upgrades to allow co-processing alternative fuels at its Ramos Arizpe plant near Saltillo. The new alterntive fuels line will start operation by May 2018, according to the Vanguard newspaper. Rodolfo Montero Chacón, the general director of the subsidiary of LafargeHolcim, said that the 2.2Mt/yr plant has two kilns but it only uses one due to local demand. The plant currently operates a proudction capcity utilistation rate of 55%.
Indonesian environment ministry works with cement producers to burn medical waste
Indonesia: The Ministry of Environment and Forestry is working with four cement producers to dispose of medical waste. Rosa Vivien Ratnawati, the Director General of Waste, Hazardous and Toxic Waste (B3) at the Ministry of Environment, said that the project was a short term one that would last six months, according to Netral News. The government department will work with Indocement’s Citeureup plant, Holcim Indonesia’s Narogong plant, Semen Padang and Cemindo Gemilang’s Bayah plant.
Irish Cement wins planning permission for Limerick plant
Ireland: Irish Cement has been granted planning permission by An Bord Pleanala for its plans to burn tyres and tyres and solid recovered waste at its Limerick plant. Local councils originally approved the project in 2017 but this was appealed to the national An Bord Pleanala following local protests. Environmental groups say they will continue to fight the plan.
Minister opens new production line at Arabian Cement Company plant
Egypt: Khaled Fahmy, the Minister of Environment, has opened a new production line at Arabian Cement Company’s Ain Sokhna plant in Suez. The line uses FLSmidth’s Hotdisc combustion device to allow it to use high levels of alternative fuels, according to the Watani newspaper. The opening was attended by Muhammad Shehab Abdel-Wahab, chief executive of the Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency, Nahed Youssef, head of waste management organisation, as well as a number of representatives of the financiers, and director of the European Investment Bank.
In 2015 Arabian Cement Company commissioned another Hotdisc installation. At the time is said it had a designed fuel mix of 70% coal and 30% alternative fuels, using a mixture of agricultural wastes, municipal sludge, and refuse-derived fuel (RDF).