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Aware of the cement industry’s environmental footprint, and conscious of the challenges and opportunities it faces, Italcementi Group aims to achieve a rational use of materials and energy efficiency, in order to protect the reserves of natural resources.
Fuels and raw materials
The use of alternative fuels and raw materials (AFRs) has substantial benefits from an environmental standpoint. As part of its vision of Sustainable Development, the Group is continuously investigating opportunities for the use of alternative fuels – particularly high biomass content alternative fuels, for which it has obtained reassuring results – and the use of alternative raw materials such as blast furnace slag, fly ash and other materials. This positively affects both society and the Group, by reducing the use of non-renewable fuels and materials and recycling industrial materials which could otherwise be sent to disposal sites or incineration, resulting in additional emissions of pollutants and Greenhouse Gases.
| Alternative fuels |
Alternative raw materials |
| Tyres |
Blast furnace slag |
| Waste oils |
Coal fly ash |
| Liquid waste |
Industrial gypsum |
| Solid waste |
Foundry sand |
| Animal meal |
Other |
| Agricultural waste |
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After having contributed to the development – and endorsement – of the CSI “Guidelines for the Selection and Use of Fuels and Raw Materials in the Cement Manufacturing Process”, the Group is now implementing a structured approach throughout its subsidiaries, in order to ensure the responsible use of alternative fuels and raw materials, and full alignment with the CSI Guidelines. A list of those waste materials which the Group will not use in its operations has been issued (please refer to the list published in the box) and a Group coordinator has been appointed to steer the development of AFRs use across the Group.
The Group strategy in mature markets remains to consolidate and increase the use of AFRs and, for Refuse Derived Fuels (RDFs) and biomass fuels, to raise their share. In emerging markets, like Egypt and India, the Group strategy is to develop local biomass fuels opportunities.
Water
Although the quantities of water used in cement works are low, Italcementi Group is committed to reducing its consumption per ton of clinker produced and to increasing its water consumtion monitoring.
Water is used mainly for cooling the mechanical components of equipment, for cooling the off-gases to preserve and/or improve the efficiency of process filters, for watering roads and materials to control fugitive dust releases, for granulation in the semi-dry process, and for the production of “slurry”, the mixture of raw materials and water that is necessary in the few wet process plants that are still in operation. The release of industrial water into the environment has been reduced almost to zero in most plants by the replacement of open systems with closed circuits.
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As a member of the CSI, the Group will not use any of the following in its kilns as fuel or raw material, as a constituent of cement, or in its waste recovery and disposal operations:
- nuclear waste,
- infectious medical waste,
- chemical or biological weapons destined for destruction,
- entire batteries,
- unknown or non-specified waste.
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