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Displaying items by tag: circular economy
France: CRH subsidiary Eqiom has successfully commissioned its Gennevilliers construction waste recycling pilot plant. Prior to the plant’s opening, Eqiom recycled 10,000t of construction waste in the first quarter of 2022. It is now aiming to recycle 50,000t in 2022.
The company says that its continual efforts are making the circular economy possible in the construction sector.
India: ACC’s Chaibasa cement plant in Jharkhand has received its first instalment of fly ash for use in cement production from Vedanta Aluminium subsidiary Vedanta Jharsuguda. Global Cement News previously reported that Vedanta Aluminium had been seeking a cement industry fly ash and bauxite residue buyer for a long-term collaborative partnership in July 2021.
In the 2022 financial year, Vedanta Aluminium supplied 190,000t of fly ash to Indian cement producers.
Austria/Germany: RHI Magnesita and Horn & Co. Group have announced the consolidation of their recycling activities in Europe under Horn & Co. RHIM Minerals Recovery. The new subsidiary aims to increase the production, use and offering of secondary raw materials for the European refractory industry. The partners say that this will place the new entity at the forefront of the circular economy for customers in cement and other process industries. At the onset, Horn & Co. RHIM Minerals Recovery will process more than 150,000t/yr of secondary raw materials.
RHI Magnesita says that it can save 1.8t of CO2 for every tonne of recycled material used in its refractory production. It now expects to achieve its goal of 10% recycled materials ahead of its previously stipulated target date of 2025. It said that this marks an important step towards achieving a 15% reduction in CO2 emissions by 2025.
CEO Stefan Borgas said “By increasing our focus in this key area, we will make a significant contribution to global climate protection. We will conserve natural resources while at the same time expanding our business.” He added “With the combination of the recycling activities, RHI Magnesita and Horn & Co. Group become the driving force of circular economy in the refractory industry. Going forward, refractory users will benefit from increasing circular economy solutions included in our full line service contracts and customers of Horn & Co. RHIM Minerals Recovery will be able to source sustainable and high-quality raw materials.”
Finland: Betolar has signed a letter of intent with Australia-based RISAB and the Vanadium Recovery Project to research the use of steel slag from which vanadium has been extracted in concrete production. Dow Jones Institutional News has reported that the company says that, through it Geoprime alkali-activated additive technology, the new slag source could replace 10% of the cement used in concrete production in Finland.
CEO Matti Löppönen said "We see a huge opportunity for Betolar here. If successful, we would be able to offer our customers a specific, currently unused slag of the steel industry to replace cement in concrete. Our customers already have experience in utilising other types of slag in the production of concrete using Geoprime. Utilising new side streams will expand the reach of our solution as planned.”
Betolar launched Geoprime in September 2021. It is currently developing a recipe-optimising artificial intelligence (AI) and data platform to bring together concrete producers and suppliers of slag, ash and other materials.
Poland: The Building Research Institute has issued environmental product declarations (EPDs) for all six cement types produced at its Chełm and Rudniki cement plants and Gdynia grinding plant. The products in question were two CEM I cements, two CEM II Portland fly ash cements, another CEM II cement and a CEM III slag cement. Cemex Poland additionally obtained EPD certification for its Vertua Classic and Vertua Plus concrete products.
Materials director Michał Grys said “For us, product certification is another important step towards sustainable construction and a sustainable future. EPD declarations provide our clients with additional confirmation of the properties of products offered by Cemex Poland. They also improve their chances of obtaining LEED or BREEAM certificates for their investments.”
Philippines: The government’s Department of Environment and Natural Resources – Environmental Management Bureau has called on cement producers to maximise their use of waste plastic as a raw material in cement production. Philippines News Agency has reported that bureau director William Cuñado estimated that the measures would bring about a 40 – 60% drop in national plastic waste generation. He said that local government has a part to play in arranging the requisite municipal solid waste (MSW) practices.
Germany: Rohrdorfer and Austria-based Andritz Group are in the process of installing a 2t/day CO2 separation plant on the roof of the former’s Rohrdorf cement plant in Bavaria. The pilot plant will capture CO2 from the plant’s emissions for use by the regional chemicals industry. The Ingenieur newspaper has reported that it will cost Euro3m and is scheduled for commissioning before June 2022. It is the first installation of its kind at a German cement plant.
Rohrdorfer’s plant and process engineering manager Helmut Leibinger said “We must begin to see CO2 as a product of value rather than a problem. With CO2 as a carbon source, Germany can protect the climate and at the same time become less dependent on oil and natural gas. In addition, value creation and jobs will remain in the country.”
Indonesia Power produces cement-free concrete from ash
25 February 2022Indonesia: Indonesia Power says that it has processed coal fly ash and bottom ash from its Adipala power plant into building materials, including cement-free ready-mix concrete, concrete blocks, paving slabs and refractory casts. The energy company also supplies ash to mine reclamation and water neutralisation projects, according to LKBN Antara News. In total, it reused 135,000t of ash by-products in 2021. The company generates 85,000t/yr fly ash and bottom ash.
Sinar Tambang Arthaestari has previous targeted Indonesia Power’s ash products for use in its cement production.
Kingspan Insulation to acquire Troldtekt
22 February 2022Denmark: Cement and wood-based acoustic board producer Troldtekt has agreed to a takeover offer from Ireland-based Kingspan Insulation. The producer uses ordinary Portland cement (OPC) produced ‘from Danish mineral resources’ along with shredded Norway spruce to produce its boards.
Kingspan Insulation managing director Alan Lawlor said "I am delighted to welcome Troldtekt to the Kingspan family. As the global leader in high-performance insulation and building envelope solutions, we have the capacity to help them expand beyond their core markets, whilst bringing acoustic and decorative boards and natural insulation materials into our portfolio. Troldtekt has been able to continuously innovate and it sets the bar impressively high in the field of the circular economy.” He concluded "We will invest significantly in the company's production facilities to set them up for geographic growth."
Eco Material Technologies acquires Green Cement
15 February 2022US: Eco Material Technologies has successfully completed its acquisition of near-zero carbon cement alternatives producer Green Cement. Eco Material Technologies previously agreed to acquire Boral’s US fly ash business in December 2021, a transaction which it expects to conclude in 2022.