UAE: Arkan Cement is set to sign a US$32m deal to set up a waste-to-power unit for its Al Ain plant. Martti Malmivirta, the chairman of Arabian Finnish Waste Refining (ARAFIN) that is partnering with Arkan Cement on the project, told the National newspaper that the 1000t/day unit will be the first in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region. A joint venture will be set up between Arkan and Arafin, which itself is a joint venture between Eera Waste Refining of Finland and Daud Group of Oman. The new fuel stream will substitute use of natural gas at the plant.

Romania: Holcim Romania has created a company to ‘test the digital environment’ called Start Casa Visio. The start-up has been made in conjunction with the cement producer’s energy-from-waste arm Geocyce, according to the Ziarul Financiar newspaper. Other than saying that it was not an online store Holcim Romania would not disclose any further information about the aims of the new business venture.

Ireland: Irish Cement has until the end of March 2017 to submit further information to the local government about its plans to upgrade its cement plant in Limerick to allow it to co-process alternative fuels. The company is waiting for planning permission for a 10-year licence to use solid recovered waste and tyres in cement production, according to the Limerick Leader newspaper. However, the application has been delayed twice following opposition by local residents.

Japan: Aso Cement aims to raise its alternative fuels substitution rate to 50% by 2020 from its current rate of around 30%, according to comments made by its Tagawa plant manager Kenji Kawauchi to Jiji Press. The cement producer operates a unit capable of disposing of 160t/day of waste plastic at its Tagawa plant in Fukuoka Prefecture.