Displaying items by tag: UK
Mineral Products Association welcomes UK government report citing alternative fuels use in cement industry
18 January 2018UK: The Mineral Products Association (MPA) has welcomed a report by the Government Chief Scientific Adviser on the value of waste for its referencing of co-processed recycling of waste derived fuels and raw materials in the cement industry. The report, entitled ‘From waste to resource productivity’ by Mark Walport, looks at waste as a resource.
It is accompanied by a case study report that brings together evidence and opinions from a range of stakeholders, including a study from MPA’s Richard Leese and Rebecca Hooper regarding co-processing waste in cement. This document is not a statement of government policy, but the MPA says it is the first UK government report to reference co-processed recycling of waste derived fuels and raw materials.
“UK cement manufacturers recycle 1.5Mt of waste and by-products annually. Government scientists have finally acknowledged the important recycling that the cement industry provides for UK society,” said Richard Leese, MPA’s Director of Industrial Policy, Energy and Climate Change. He added that the next step would be for the government to account for the ‘societal benefit’ of waste products in its official recycling statistics.
Andusia moves into the solid recovered fuel market
09 November 2017UK: Andusia Recovered Fuels says it is moving into the solid recovered fuel (SRF) market following its experience of the refuse derived fuel (RDF) business over the last five years. In this time the waste management company has exported over 0.9Mt of RDF.
“Despite recent claims that the RDF market is beginning to plateau, here at Andusia we are yet to notice that,” said General Manager, Mark Terrell. “The RDF export market will always be a key area for us, however we are now turning our attentions to not only the emerging UK Energy from Waste market but also to SRF exports across Europe.”
Geocycle launches in the UK
20 October 2017UK: Geocycle, the industrial and municipal waste management subsidiary of LafargeHolcim, has launched its UK operations. The company supports co-processing alternative fuels at cement plants.
“Organisations in the UK are increasingly adopting sustainable business practices, and co-processing provides a practical, cost-effective and environmentally-preferred option to landfills. We’re extremely excited to have launched Geocycle in the UK. With operations in Cauldon, Staffordshire and Cookstown, Northern Ireland in the UK and an extensive global network, we look forward to extending our offer to environmentally-responsible companies,” said Michael Awanayah, General Manager of Geocycle UK.
Cemex participates in European Union industrial efficiency research
15 September 2017UK/Europe: Cemex’s South Ferriby cement plant is participating in the European Union (EU) supported enhanced energy and resource efficiency and performance in process industry operations via onsite and cross-sectorial symbiosis (EPOS) project. Designed to enable cross-sector industrial working, the project highlights case studies exemplifying ways for companies to use wastes from other industries to deliver greater efficiency, save raw materials, and contribute to more sustainable processes.
The South Ferriby plant has worked with other companies, including the INEOS chemical company, to determine how waste from INEOS’s production could be used as part of the cement manufacturing process. In addition Cemex Poland and Cemex Research Group in Switzerland will also represent Cemex in the project.
“It is a privilege for Cemex’s cement plant in South Ferriby to participate in this project, collaborating with other companies and partners across Europe. This helps to ensure that we operate our cement plant as efficiently as possible, while learning lessons that we can apply to our other facilities,” said Kevin Groombridge, South Ferriby Cement Plant Environment Manager.
UK: N+P has appointed Neville Roberts as Managing Director UK for N+P Alternative Fuels. He will be based in N+P’s new UK office in Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire. His appointment follows the expansion of N+P to supply refuse derived fuel (RDF), solid recovered fuel (SRF) and its Subcoal product into UK domestic and European markets.
Roberts, a chemical engineer, has worked in the cement industry for over 35 years. He has worked for Rugby Cement, the Saudi Cement Company, RTZ Cement, Castle Cement, RMC and Cemex. Most recently he has been advising businesses, including N+P, on the use of alternative fuels. Roberts has specialised in production management and in particular the use of alternative fuels on cement kilns. Prior to leaving Cemex at the end of 2013 he was focussing heavily on alternative fuels in his role as Energy Business Development Director.
UK: The Environmental Services Association has called for the UK planning system to be more closely aligned with the so-called Circular Economy. It has laid out a number of recommendations in a report entitled ‘Planning for a Circular Economy.’ In its report it outlines key aspects of the current planning system that it says can frustrate the waste industry.
“Many local authorities need to let go of the strict control culture that has prevailed in one form or another since the ‘landfill era’ and instead adopt a more responsive approach to planning for waste management that better recognises the variable and dynamic nature of the space in which our industry now operates. Our industry increasingly resembles that of any other logistics business with materials moved around as markets dictate,” commented ESA’s Policy Advisor Stephen Freeland. He added that few other sectors face the same planning and political obsession about the origin of material or commodities, and where these should be transported to, as the waste industry.
Sweden/UK: Siwertell, part of Cargotec, has signed a contract with the Spanish-Korean consortium, TR-Samsung, for a Siwertell ship unloader to support a new biomass-fuelled power plant under construction in Teeside, Middlesbrough in the UK.
"We provided extensive references demonstrating our ability to meet the owner's high standards and design criteria," said Peter Goransson, Siwertell Sales Manager & Senior Advisor. "Important factors included compliance with environmental directives, a proven track record of good reliability and safety, high through-vessel discharge rates and the ability to handle sensitive products with minimal cargo degradation or breakages."
Siwertell will deliver a customised rail-mounted ST 790-type D Siwertell unloader, which will be located close to the 299MW plant in Teesport. It will discharge wood pellets and wood chips to a matched Siwertell jetty conveyor with a movable transfer trolley, supplied as part of the contract. Siwertell biomass unloaders are also equipped with a new-generation safety system to mitigate the risks of fire and dust explosion when handling biomass in an enclosed space.
The unloader has a rated average capacity of 1200t/hr and a maximum rate of 1320t/hr, designed to meet the plant's requirements of 16,000t/day. It is equipped with a dual truck loading system for continuous direct truck loading at a rate of 300t/hr. This is a redundancy feature that allows operations to continue if the shore conveying system fails.
The unloader will be built in Europe by Siwertell's production partners and will be delivered fully assembled in 2018.
UK: David Palmer-Jones, the chief executive officer for Suez recycling and recovery UK, has warned that there is a risk of a void in national policy as the UK negotiates its future relationship with the European Union (EU).
"Although we supported Britain remaining in the European Union, Suez recycling and recovery UK respects the democratic will of the population and our focus remains on our policy of deriving the maximum value from the waste produced by UK households and businesses every day,” said Palmer-Jones. He added that EU membership for Britain has been a ‘crucial and effective’ driver of environmental policy and legislation in the country.
Axion Polymers introduces new solid recovered fuels
09 June 2016UK: Axion Polymers has added two new alternative fuels to its existing range of solid recovered fuel (SRF) products. Axfuel High CV Polychip Grades A and B are fully-processed and technically-separated fuels. Grade A has a net calorific value of 40kJ/g similar to powdered petcoke. Grade B has a net calorific value of 26kJ/g with a greater mix of other materials such as wood and rubber.
Both products are derived from end-of-life automotive and electrical waste resource streams. They have low moisture, chlorine and ash content. They are manufactured as part of Axion’s large-scale materials recycling system.
“In line with our principles of treating alternative fuels from waste as products, we ensure that they are of consistently high quality to meet the technically-demanding specifications of our end markets,” said Axion Polymers Director Keith Freegard.
Suez Environment executive warns of risks of UK exit from European Union to waste and recycling sector
21 April 2016UK: David Palmer-Jones, chief executive of Suez recycling and recovery, has warned that if the UK left the European Union (EU) it would be bad for the country’s waste and recycling sector.
“Leaving the EU would be detrimental to the environmental services sector because the EU is the driving force behind much of the environmental policy and legislation which enables companies like Suez to invest in new services and infrastructure,” said Palmer-Jones. “Should the UK referendum be decided in favour of a Brexit and the UK leave the EU, there is a clear risk that the current EU-led policy drives towards creating a circular economy within the UK will stall or even move back a step, which in turn could have a negative impact on future investment decisions into UK infrastructure.” He added that a UK exit from the EU would cause infrastructure investment in the waste and recycling sector to be re-evaluated.
An inquiry by the parliamentary Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) on environmental policy in the EU and its effects in the UK was published on 19 April 2016. It looked at what the implications might be for the UK if it left the EU. It found that the ‘overwhelming view’ of witnesses across the sector was that EU membership has been positive for the UK environment. However, one member of the committee, Tory MP Peter Lilley accused the environmental groups who gave evidence of having vested interests because they received EU funding, according to the Press Association.