India: Clean Kerala Company has signed an agreement with ACC to collect of non-recyclable plastic waste from local authorities in Kerala. Initially, the waste processing company will supply 2000t from across the state, according to the Hindu newspaper. A few local governments have also made arrangements with cement producers to supply waste directly.

UK: Germany-based HeidelbergCement’s subsidiary Hanson Cement will be the subject of a study in the use of biomass and hydrogen fuels coordinated by the Mineral Products Association. The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy is funding the Euro3.81m study, the results of which it says will be shared across the cement industry. HeidelbergCement CEO Dominik von Achten said, "In addition to our activities in the field of carbon capture, use and storage (CCUS), this project is an important step towards realising our vision of carbon-neutral concrete by 2050.”

China: Huaxin Cement says that it has disposed of 55t of medical waste from coronavirus-infected hospitals in Wuhan province at its 3.4Mt/yr Yangxin cement plant in Hubei province. Xinhuanet News has reported that the plant’s precalciner and rotary kiln have safely processed the batch, from its delivery in sealed trucks, through the combustion of the waste and its packaging, into cement.

Spain: Holcim España has reported that it has achieved a 10,000t reduction in CO₂ emissions at its 1.5Mt/yr integrated Carboneras plant in Almeria in 2019 by the 30% (60,000t) substitution of alternative fuels for coal throughout the year. Agencia Efa newspaper has reported that the switch was the result of a Euro0.88m upgrade to the kiln line as a part of LafargeHolcim’s Euro20m investment in measures to reduce its Spanish carbon footprint by 90,000t/yr. This also includes the introduction of plant-derived biomass to the Carboneras line by the end of 2020, at an estimated cost of Euro3.1m.