Displaying items by tag: Recycling
Cembureau calls on EU to facilitate co-processing of waste composite materials in cement
05 July 2023Belgium: The European cement association, Cembureau, has asked the Europen Union (EU) to provide a regulatory framework to support the work of the European cement industry in co-processing waste composite materials as alternative raw materials. The materials in question consist of glass, carbon or other fibres and polymer matrices. The association called on the EU to recognise co-processing as ‘recycling’ under the EU Waste Framework Directive, to establish waste composite materials collection schemes and phase out landfilling, and to introduce dedicated waste codes for the materials. Cembureau said that the last of these proposals would help to increase visibility and attract investments.
Cembureau set out its proposals in a joint statement with resins associations Cefic UP/VE and Cefic Epoxy Europe, boating association EBI, composite materials association EuCIA, glass fibre association Glass Fibre Europe and wind energy association WindEurope.
Finland: Tana Oy has appointed Kalle Saarimaa as its chief executive officer with effect from 1 June 2023.
Saarimaa is currently working as the Senior Vice President for Circular Solutions at Fortum Oyj. However, he has been a member of the board of Tana Oy since 2021. Prior to working for Fortum Oyj he held posts with Ekokem and Walki Oy. He is also active in Finnish and European waste management organisations and as a board member of circular economy companies.
Tana sells products to the recycling and landfill sectors such as shredders, compactors, screeners, sifters and more.
India: The municipal corporation of Kolkata, West Bengal, has enacted regulations requiring landowners to send construction waste from projects on their property to construction and demolition waste recycling facilities. The Telegraph newspaper has reported that the new regulations apply to all construction, demolition and repairs work on plots of land larger than 0.24 hectares. The city authorities have built a 183,000t/yr recycling plant in New Town, Greater Kolkata, to support the increased volumes.
Business and academia attend the Innovandi Global Cement and Concrete Research Network Spring Week in India
26 April 2023India: More than 75 representatives from academic institutions and businesses from across the world are attending the Innovandi Global Cement and Concrete Research Network (GCCRN) Spring Week taking place in New Delhi. The GCCRN has brought together 450 researchers and scientists from more than 40 universities and institutions, including the EPFL in Switzerland, South East University in China, University of Toronto in Canada, the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, the University of Cape Town, Imperial College London in the UK, as well as 35 cement and concrete manufacturers and their suppliers. The focus of the conference is to work towards reaching net-zero CO2 concrete production, including sourcing and improving alternatives to clinker, work on calcined clays, concrete recycling – plus its carbonation and durability - as well as kiln electrification and carbon capture, usage and storage (CCUS).
Claude Loréa, the Innovation and ESG Director at the Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA), said “Global Innovation collaboration and research will help unlock our industry’s decarbonisation mission. Spring Week is the key date in the GCCA’s Innovandi calendar. It provides an opportunity for our partners to meet face-to-face, exchange ideas, run workshops, and measure progress on key research projects in line with our industry’s 2050 Net Zero Roadmap. Our industry and our key partners are stepping up to the challenge and it’s fantastic to see the progress on some of the 75 PhD candidates supported by the GCCRN.”
The event is also updating attendees about progress made by projects involved with the Innovandi Open Challenge. This initiative matches start-ups with GCCA member companies from around the world, to help scale up research and technical innovation. Two of the six start-ups selected in 2022 at the first ever Innovandi Open Challenge, which focused mainly on carbon capture and utilisation, have already gone to pilot stage. Applications for the second challenge, which focuses on low carbon concrete, close on 15 May 2023.
The GCCRN was set up by the GCCA, a lobbying group representing more than 80% of the world’s cement and concrete manufacturers outside of China. All GCCA member companies are committed to decarbonising the industry by the mid-21st Century, in line with the GCCA’s Concrete Future 2050 Net Zero Roadmap.
Holcim acquires Sivyer Logistics
06 April 2023UK: Holcim has acquired leading London construction and demolition waste (CDW) recycling company Sivyer Logistics. Sivyer Logistics produced 500,000t of recycled aggregates and manufactured soils from 1Mt of CDW across its six sites in 2022. Holcim says that the acquisition represents a step towards realising its target of 10Mt/yr of construction and demolition waste in Holcim products by 2025.
The group’s Europe regional head Miljan Gutovic said “Sivyer Logistics is an excellent addition to help us drive circular construction.” He added “I look forward to welcoming all employees of Sivyer Logistics and investing in our next era of growth together.”
Europe: Cemex has launched its latest packaging design for its Vertua reduced-CO2 product range at the Low Carbon World exhibition in Paris, France. The new design incorporates products' scores across five 'sustainability attributes:' emissions reduction, energy efficiency, conservation of water, recycled content and design optimisation. Cemex will now deploy the design across Europe by June 2023.
Cemex's Europe, Middle East and Africa regional president Sergio Menendez said “Cemex is attuned to the need to focus on all aspects that can make a product more sustainable - not just achieving a lower carbon footprint. With the updated classification system for Vertua, customers can now more easily identify which of our products leverage the cutting-edge technology and innovation that will enable them to overcome the challenges they are currently facing in construction and renovation." Menendez concluded "The enhanced Vertua brand represents a more ambitious and stronger approach: from a group of low carbon products to a family of products and solutions that encompass more sustainable attributes and contribute to our company vision of building a better future.”
Progressive Planet to supply PozGlass to Lafarge Canada
16 March 2023Canada: Progressive Planet has secured a contract to supply its PozGlass recycled glass-based supplementary cementitious material (SCM) to Lafarge Canada. The cement producer says that it will test the commercial viability of all PozGlass produced at Progressive Planet's Kamloops pilot plant in British Columbia, once the plant commences PozGlass production in 2024.
Canada: Progressive Planet is preparing to build a 3200t/yr pilot plant for its PozGlass product at its headquarters in Kamloops, British Columbia. The company aims to commercialise its process, which produces pozzolan from recycled glass for use in cement or concrete production. The pilot unit will also sequester CO2 released by a gas dryer at the site, from which it will produce sodium carbonate. The pilot plant is expected to go under construction in 2023 and be operational in 2024.
Steve Harpur, the chief executive officer of Progressive Planet, said “With PozGlass, a CleanTech breakthrough from our C-Quester Centre of Sustainable Innovation in Kamloops, we are producing one of many upcoming private-sector solutions that are needed to meet the 2050 Net Zero targets to fight climate change.”
Progressive Planet aims for PozGlass production to be situated at cement kilns, where PozGlass could be mixed with Portland cement at a 50:50 ratio.
India: Antony Waste Handling Cell Limited (AWHCL) has won a US$124m contract for construction and demolition waste management services in Mumbai. Press Trust of India News has reported that the contract covers nine municipal subdivisions of the city and will last until 2044. AWHCL said that the contract will enable it to develop the circularity of cement and concrete within the local economy. It expects to commission 600t/day-worth of waste processing capacity by March 2023. The waste management company expects a recovery rate of 25% recyclable materials.
AWHCL chairman and managing director Jose Jacob said "This sub-segment of solid waste management provides tremendous growth opportunities given the number of infrastructure development projects underway, and the government's push to accelerate the economic growth with infrastructure being one of the important growth pillars."
Cambridge Electric Cement commences recycled cement production
08 February 2023UK: Cambridge Electric Cement (CEC) has launched the two-year trial of its Cement 2 Zero project, aimed at scaling up production of its net zero-CO2, demolition waste-based alternative cement. It aims to produce 20t of the material for use in a low-impact construction project. CEC’s method, developed at the University of Cambridge, is based on the conversion of demolition waste into a slag-forming material within a steel furnace.
Developer Julian Allwood said “By combining steel and cement recycling in a single process powered by renewable electricity, we could supplement the global supply of the basic construction materials to support the infrastructure of a zero emissions world and to enable economic development where it is most needed.”