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Inji Khalil, Lafarge Egypt,
discusses the co-processing of
waste and the development of waste management in Egypt.
Introduction
The world is generating more waste than
ever, and with the increasing urbanisation
and industrialisation in developing countries,
more and more countries are becoming major
producers of waste.
However, developing countries often lack
the needed infrastructure to sort, recycle,
and manage household and industrial waste.
This means that most of the waste ends
up rotting in landfills which to Geocycle,
LafargeHolcim’s global waste management
business, is literally a waste of waste.
Using high temperature cement kilns,
Geocycle co-processes all types of waste.
Co-processing leaves no residues as the ashes
get incorporated into clinker and the waste
products are used as a direct substitute for
fossil fuels and other raw materials. The
higher temperature and longer residence
time in cement production means cleaner
combustion; and the avoidance of landfill and
the uncontrolled dumping of waste reduces
pollution and saves land.
Every year Egypt generates approximately
90 million t of solid waste, with an estimated
annual increase of 3%. This growing waste
problem, plus the need for Lafarge Egypt’s
cement plant to reduce its fuel cost and
secure an alternative source of energy for its
operations, drove Geocycle Egypt to begin
operating in the country in 2011.