Leading building solutions provider Holcim Philippines Inc. and waste management unit Geocycle have inaugurated new storage and processing facilities at Holcim’s Bulacan plant to provide alternative fuels and raw materials in cement production.
In a statement, Holcim said it has completed a new 5,400-square meter warehouse for its shredding equipment that converts qualified post-consumer and municipal solid wastes to alternative fuels.
The warehouse also keeps the processed materials dry and suitable for feeding at its cement kiln.
“This initiative is part of our bigger commitment to make our operations more sustainable,” said Holcim Philippines President and CEO Horia Adrian.
He explained that, “These facilities will further reduce our carbon footprint and energy costs while providing our partners a safe and environmentally-sound waste management option though our co-processing technology.”
“We are excited to continue these projects to help us get closer to our long-term ambition of using 70 percent alternative fuels in cement production instead of coal," Adrian said.
The project is part of Holcim Philippines’ P121.5 million investment at its Bulacan plant to reduce carbon footprint and improve circularity of operations or the reuse of materials to lessen consumption of natural resources.
Geocycle has also agreed to provide waste management services to the Municipality of Boac, Marinduque by using its qualified sorted municipal wastes as alternative fuel and raw materials in its Bulacan plant.
Boac is the 12th municipality that Holcim Philippines and Geocycle is providing waste management support through co-processing.
The company has added eight Luzon municipalities and another from Mindanao as waste management partners this year from three in 2020.
“We are happy to see more local governments partnering with us as they recognize the benefits of co-processing in waste management,” said Geocycle Vice President Albert Leoveras.
He added that, “With our new facilities, we look to further expand our network of partners and help them in managing their wastes sustainably.” The use of alternative fuels and raw materials in producing cement is a key focus of Holcim Philippines to lower the carbon footprint and consumption of non-renewable resources in its operations.
This is aligned with the goals of the global building materials leader Holcim Group to further make operations sustainable.
In 2020, Holcim Philippines co-processed close to 130,000 tons of qualified wastes from local governments, industry partners and agricultural processors in its plants in Luzon and Mindanao.