Colombia: Cementos Argos co-processed more than 75,000t of solid waste in 2018. It burns alternative fuels at its Rioclara and Cartagena cement plants. Its plants also co-process up to 65,000t/yr of tyres.
Geocycle signs three-year tyre supply deal for LafargeHolcim’s Capdeville cement plant
Argentina: Geocycle has signed a three-year deal with the Province of Mendoza to use tyres at LafargeHolcim’s Capdeville cement plant. Geocycle has spent Euro1.15m on preparing a unit to process the tyres, according to the Los Andes newspaper. The waste management subsidiary of LafargeHolcim has also worked with the local government on setting up collection points for residents to leave old tyres. Geocycle conducted a similar project in Jujuy province in 2018 and it plans to run a similar one in Cordoba province.
Mexican environmental activists raise health risks of solid waste co-processing
Mexico: El Laboratorio de Investigación en Desarrollo Comunitario y Sustentabilidad (LIDECS) has raised the health risks from burning solid waste at cement plants in México state. Jorge Tadeo Vargas, part of the Faculty of Geography of the Autonomous University of Mexico State (UAEM) and a LIDECS representative highlighted the damage caused in Apaxco and Tlalnepantla in México and Hidalgo in Tula at a conference on the issue, according to the Milenio newspaper. Professor Brisa Carrasco of the UAEM Geography department also raised the issue of a lack of regulation and environmental and medical data on the subject.
RePower South starts up waste processing plant in South Carolina
US: RePower South has starting processing materials at its new 0.2Mt/yr waste processing plant at Moncks Corner in South Carolina. The unit uses equipment supplied by Bulk Handling Systems (BHS) as part of its BHS FIberPure process that utilises screen, air, optical and artificial intelligence (AI)-powered robotic sorters. It also uses seven NRT optical sorters and nine Max-AI Autonomous Quality Controls (AQC). The plant can process up to 50t/hr of mixed waste to produce a fuel feedstock.
The plant also produces ReEngineered Feedstock (REEF) from non-recyclable papers and plastics. This fuel product is sold to industry, cement, and utility customers to replace coal in production processes. The fuel system uses a Loesche Energy Systems RocketMill to dry, purify and size the REEF.