We value waste as a resource: for us it becomes fuel or renewable raw material. We are adopting an integrated approach to cement production by establishing partnerships with third parties and local communities.
In waste we see resources:
- Waste is not only a source of recyclable material, but also of alternative fuels with high calorific value. The use of alternative fuels derived from municipal and solid urban waste has important environmental advantages, both because it reduces the use of fossil fuels and offers a solution to waste storage and disposal.
- We use alternative fuels such as Secondary Solid Fuel (CSS), a type of fuel derived from the processing of non-hazardous municipal waste in the cement production process. The use of urban waste as an alternative fuel in cement plants contributes to its sustainable disposal, the reduction of greenhouse gases and does not produce residues since the ash deriving from combustion is recycled in cement production.
- We use the waste of other industrial processes as renewable raw material, such as fly ash (generated by the combustion of coal from power plants), blast furnace slag (steel production waste), excavation rocks (byproduct of activities involving excavation or mining).
The Waste business
Cementir Holding has been operating in the waste sector since 2009 and has seen waste as an opportunity to make cement production more sustainable.
Waste as a resource
Waste is a source not only of recyclable materials but also of alternative fuels with a high calorific value. The use of alternative fuel derived from solid urban waste and industrial waste has high environmental benefits because it reduces the use of fossil fuels, offering a solution also to storage and disposal problems. The storage of urban waste in fact causes the release of methane, a greenhouse gas with a polluting effect 21 times higher than that of CO2. Therefore, the use of urban waste as an alternative fuel in cement factories contributes to the sustainable disposal of waste and reduces the negative effects of greenhouse gases. Moreover, unlike what happens in waste-to-energy plants, the use of waste as an alternative fuel in cement plants does not produce residual waste since the ash resulting from the combustion is reused in the production cycle.
The operational chain
The waste cycle management activity is coordinated by Recydia, a Turkish holding company, which controls the companies Sureko in Turkey, and Neales Waste Management in England where - in addition to the waste treatment plant - the company manages a landfill that allows the production of biogas.
Sureko, through a modern plant located west of the city of Izmir, treats industrial waste and produces alternative fuels used in the Izmir plant. Neales Waste Management is a leading provider of waste treatment, recycling and disposal services in the North West of England and manages long-term contracts with local municipalities in Lancashire.
The Group's plants collect and treat approximately 395 thousand tons of waste per year, of which 66% solid urban waste and 34% industrial waste. Through biomechanical and drying processes, Cementir Group's treatment plants produce more than 100,000 tons of fuel each year from waste, 20% of which is waste derived fuel (RDF) and 80% is recovered solid fuel (SRF).
The progressive replacement of fossil fuels and raw materials with alternative fuels and raw materials is one of the fundamental levers that Cementir intends to use to achieve the goal of 30% CO2 emissions reduction by 2030.
| Unit | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fossil fuel replacement index | % | 19 | 20 | 20 | 16.8 | 13.2 |
| Renewable raw materials on total raw materials used for cement production | % | 9.3 | 11.8 | 11.8 | 10.6 | 6.8 |
We want to reduce our carbon footprint by limiting CO2 emissions and improving water and land management
We generate value for local communities, listening to their needs and concerns and building relationships based on transparency, respect and accountability.
We spread a culture of talent by attracting and enhancing the best professionals and ensuring a safe and motivating work environment for our people, which represent our most important asset.