Circular Economy is one of the pillars of our Sustainability Strategy. We promote an increasingly integrated approach to transform waste into new resources.
We are committed to adopt a co-processing and circular approach to waste.
Co-processing of waste in cement kilns is an established and environmentally effective option, and a circular solution for the end-of-life materials. It does not only recover the energy content of the waste but also recycles its mineral content into high value products. This approach:
- reduces raw materials and fossil fuels consumption mitigating green-house gases effects
- offers an effective solution to landfill disposal
- prevents plastic pollution in the environment.
Alternative fuels and raw materials
The thermal energy produced in our plants is generated by the combustion of fossil fuels (fuel oil, petcoke, coal and natural gas) and in part, by alternative fuels, such as waste oils, tires, rubber and plastics.
Our goal is to increase the proportion of alternative fuels in the fuel mix to 48% for producing grey cement and 6% for white cement. The percentage of white cement is lower because market specifications impose strict chromatic consistency standards, which could be compromised by the use of alternative fuels.
Cement production also requires large quantities of raw materials of natural origin like limestone, clay and gypsum, extracted from natural quarries that have different characteristics.
Since these are natural ecosystems with a precise natural balance, we assess the impact of our activities to limit environmental effects and pursue the objective of reducing non-renewable raw materials use, promoting alternatives raw materials.
By 2030 we target to reduce the clinker ratio from 77% to 64% for grey cement and from 80% to 79% for white cement, by replacing clinker with alternative raw materials such as fly ash and blast furnace slag.
In 2024 we used nearly 15 million tons of raw materials with 12% coming from recycled sources, including fly ash, blast furnace slag and other additives deriving from the extraction activities of the quarry inside our cement plant in Belgium.
Our 2030 objectives
| Grey cement | White cement | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 2030 | 2024 | 2030 | |
| Use of alternatives fuels | 34% of total | 48% of total | 2% of total | 6% of total |
| Clinker ratio | 77% | 64% | 80% | 79% |
Waste as a secondary raw material
Waste is a source not only of recyclable materials, but also of alternative fuels with a high calorific value. Using alternative fuels derived from urban waste and industrial waste offers high environmental benefits by reducing fossil fuel consumption and offering a solution to storage and disposal problems.
Since 2009 Cementir has been operating in renewable energy and waste management through Recydia, which owns the Sureko businesses in Türkiye.
In 2024 Cementir waste treatment plants produced 15,569 tons of waste fuel.
We use the most advanced biological technologies, minimizing landfilling and contributing to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
Unlike traditional waste-to-energy plants, the use of waste as an alternative fuel in cement factories does not produce residual waste as the ash resulting from combustion is recycled in the production of the cement itself.
In 2024, the Group’s plants collected and processed more than 41,000 tons of waste: 5% solid urban waste and 95% industrial waste.