Displaying items by tag: Geocycle

Bangladesh: LafargeHolcim Bangladesh has expanded its waste management network through a new memorandum of understanding (MoU) with textiles industry body the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA). Under the MoU, LafargeHolcim Bangladesh’s waste management subsidiary Geocycle will begin providing its services to BGMEA’s member companies.

The Financial Express newspaper has reported that LafargeHolcim Bangladesh CEO Mohammad Iqbal Chowdhury said “BGMEA is committed to the sustainable waste management of the clothing industry and unique solutions like Geocycle can play a pivotal role in addressing the waste challenges of the industry.”

UK: Thousands of tonnes of waste ceramics from one of the UK’s largest ceramic tile manufacturers will be recycled to make cement as part of a new initiative from Aggregate Industries. The cement producer, owned by Holcim, has agreed a four-year deal with Johnson Tiles to take 20,000t/yr of legacy waste scrap from its Stoke factory in Staffordshire. They will be transported a short distance to Aggregate Industries’ Cauldon cement plant, where they will be crushed and mixed with limestone and the other raw materials prior to entering the kiln.

Andrew Whyatt, Geocycle UK General Manager at Aggregate Industries, said “We are delighted to be working with such a potteries stalwart as Johnson Tiles in order to recycle what would otherwise be a waste product. Materials such as this offer a great alternative to excavating fresh raw materials, preserving our local natural resources, whilst offering a solution whereby 100% of the material will be upcycled into new local cement. Both companies share a drive towards sustainable manufacturing and partnerships like this are vital as Aggregate Industries aims to reclaim or recycle 3Mt/yr of materials by 2025.”

Uganda: Hima Cement has awarded a contract to Coca-Cola Beverages Uganda to supply waste plastics for use as alternative fuel (AF) at the cement producer’s plant in Kasese. Under the contract, Holcim subsidiary Geocycle will collect and process the waste.

PML Daily News has reported that Hima Cement CEO Jean-Michel Pons said “As part of our decarbonisation and circular economy approach, we utilise materials at the end of their lifecycle as AF, such as industrial wastes like plastics and agricultural wastes like biomass, thus reducing the carbon intensity of our cement, while offering a unique solution to waste challenges.”

El Salvador: Geocycle has partnered with renewables company AES El Salvador to process end-of-life solar panels for use as fuel in cement production. The partners say that this will ensure circularity for all materials used in supplying El Salvador with renewable energy.

AES El Salvador said “AES applies circularity throughout the value chain of its solar plants, from the generation of renewable energy to the proper management of waste, and ensures that the waste produced throughout its cycle serves as raw material for other products and services. By adopting these principles, it contributes to the sustainable development of the country and promotes a cleaner, greener and carbon-free future for future generations.”

US: Holcim US has inaugurated a waste tyre processing plant at its Alpena cement plant in Michigan. The facility will process 22,000t/yr of tyres into refuse-derived fuel (RDF) for use at the cement plant. Holcim US partner Geocycle will collect, pre-process and deliver the tyres to the new facility.

Holcim US’ North regional senior vice president of manufacturing Michael Nixon said "Holcim has invested more than US$100m in eco-friendly technologies at the Alpena plant in the past 15 years. The tyre-derived fuel facility is another strong demonstration of our commitment to reducing emissions."

Argentina: Geocycle is working to double the municipal solid waste (MSW) processing capacity of its facility in Yocsina, close to Córdoba, from 50,000t/yr to 100,000t/yr. The subsidiary of Holcim receives waste from surrounding settlements like Piedra Blanca and Villa Carlos Paz. So far in 2023, Holcim Argentina's cement plant kilns are using an average of 13% refuse-derived fuel (RDF), almost twice as much as in 2022.. The company is committed to raising the percentage to 46% by 2026.

"With this station, we are moving forward with more solutions to accompany our clients and strategic partners in meeting their sustainability and circular economy objectives, innovating in the integrated management of waste, recovering it and reinserting it into a new industry that, through our processes, will become part of a new product," commented Christian Dedeu, chief executive officer of Holcim in Argentina.

India: Adani Cement has announced the launch of a dedicated waste processing subsidiary called Geoclean. Geoclean will process waste for recycling and use as alternative fuel (AF) in its cement production and alternative raw materials in its production of other building materials. Geoclean inherits the projects and all 14 waste management plants of its predecessor company Geocycle India. The Orissa Diary newspaper has reported that Geoclean aims to help Adani Cement to co-process 3.7Mt of AF over the five-year period up to the end of 2027. This would raise its subsidiaries ACC and Ambuja Cements’ AF substitution rate to 30%, from 6% in 2021.

Adani Cement CEO Ajay Kapur said "We are committed to building a sustainable future by adopting clean and green technologies in our overall business. We have always believed in environmental conservation, and are committed to making the optimum contribution towards co-processing waste responsibly for a sustainable future. Adani Cement will continue its endeavours to promote sustainability and build a cleaner and greener planet."

Philippines: Holcim Philippines has signed a deal to receive 6.5t/yr of shredded waste from Bunawan municipality’s Panacan barangay for co-processing as alternative fuel (AF) in its cement production. SeeNews has reported that Holcim’s waste management subsidiary GeoCycle will process the AF. The partners aim to increase the volume of deliveries in future.

Davao cement plant manager Sam Manlosa said, “We are proud to provide our host barangay Panacan a sustainable waste management solution and thankful for their trust. We hope this partnership will further expand to other communities and the entire city of Davao so we can be a stronger partner in its sustainable progress.”

Panacan is the 28th community throughout the Philippines to enter into a waste management partnership with Holcim Philippines, and its 18th new partner in 2022. In August 2022, the company secured deliveries of waste collected in Bulacan province’s Binangonan, Cainta and Taytay municipalities in Rizal province for co-processing at its Bulacan cement plant.

Argentina: Holcim Argentina says that it will invest US$40m in capital expenditure in 2022. It plans to invest US$15m in its cement and concrete operations and US$15m in its subsidiary Geocycle's three waste management plants, which supply alternative fuel (AF) for its cement production. Of the remainder, US$5m will go towards the construction of a new dry mortars plant in Córdoba, which the company plans to inaugurate in December 2022.

In 2021, Geocycle processed 140,000t of waste into AF and raw materials for cement production.

Argentina: Holcim Argentina achieved 8.4% alternative fuel (AF) substitution in its cement production in its cement production in 2021. That year, it reduced its CO₂ emissions per tonne of cementitious material by 4.2% compared to 2017, to 505kg/t from 527kg/t.

Waste management partner Geocycle processed 140,000t of waste in 2021, up by 20% from 2020 levels. This included 4000t of waste tyres, which alone eliminated 2300t of CO₂ emissions. Geocycle inaugurated Argentina’s first municipal solid waste (MSW) classification facility in Córdoba in November 2021.