CEMA’s co-processing to turn cement waste into a resource
Organisation or Company
Type of organisation or company
Country
Spain
City
Madrid
Language for original content
Key Area
Project elaborated in partnership
Yes
Partners
Sector
Submitted by
Cement and Environment Labour Foundation - CEMA Foundation
CEMA Foundation
Description
Cement and Environment Labour Foundation (CEMA Foundation) was created by Oficemen (Spanish Cement Association) and the two largest trade unions operating in the Spanish cement industry, CCOO de Construcción y Servicios and UGT-FICA, Federación de Industria, Construcción y Agro. The foundation represents the sector’s clear commitment to sustainability through the implementation of an inclusive model. It is a pioneering organisation in the European cement industry and differs from equivalent organisations operating in other sectors.
Main activity field
Identified challenge (s)
Main results
- In 2016, the Spanish cement industry used more than 787,917 tons of waste derived fuels, equivalent to more than 394,000 tons of oil, 25% of the energy consumed by cement kilns. This saving in fossil fuels equals the annual energy consumption of more than 500,000 households;
- Of the 31.8 million tons of raw materials consumed in 2016 to make cement, 1.4 million came from waste or industrial by-products. This is equivalent to stop sending to landfill an amount of waste equal to about 21 football stadiums full of waste, and avoided the exploitation of natural resources equivalent to almost 2 years of operation of a quarry type.