By using alternative fuels for cement production, the two cement factories are producing cement with lower emissions while supporting zero-waste targets in Sharjah
Sharjah, UAE (18 January 2023): BEEAH Recycling, the waste processing and material recovery business of BEEAH Group, has awarded the title of “Green Partner” to Sharjah Cement Factory and Lafarge Emirates Cement/Geocycle for being among the UAE’s first cement production facilities to utilise lower emission fuels, contribute to net-zero emissions targets and support the circular economy.
The awarding ceremony was held at the BEEAH Group stand at the World Future Energy Summit (WFES) during Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW) in the presence of HE Issa Al Hashemi, Assistant Undersecretary for the Sustainable Communities Sector and Acting Assistant Undersecretary for the Green Development and Climate Change Sector, Ministry of Climate Change and Environment and Khaled Al Huraimel, the Group CEO of BEEAH Group.
Daker El-Rabaya, CEO of BEEAH Recycling, presented the awards to Pravinchandra Batavia, CEO of Sharjah Cement Factory, and Olivier Milhaud, General Manager of Lafarge Emirates Cement/Geocycle, member of the Holcim Group. BEEAH Recycling supplies both Sharjah Cement Factory and Lafarge Emirates Cement/Geocycle with high-quality, low-cost alternative fuels that meet production needs while producing lower emissions. As the largest producer of alternative fuels in the region, BEEAH Recycling produced 150,000 tonnes of alternative fuels in 2022 alone. Out of the 150,00 tonnes, a large amount constitutes Refuse Derived Fuels (RDF), which is produced at BEEAH Recycling’s Solid Recovered Fuel (SRF) facility.
A first of its kind facility in the region, the Solid Recovered Fuel facility transforms Municipal Solid Waste into high-quality RDF, which has lower moisture and chlorine content than traditional carbon fuels. The RDF can then be injected into kilns for cement production. In 2022, BEEAH Recycling supplied Sharjah Cement Factory with 50,000 tonnes of RDF for their cement production operations.
The Solid Recovered Fuel facility is located within BEEAH Recycling’s integrated waste management complex. The complex has 10 different facilities that process and recover material from municipal waste and industrial waste. The complex has helped the emirate of Sharjah achieve a landfill waste diversion rate of 76%, which is the highest in the Middle East.
Commenting on the occasion, Daker El-Rabaya, CEO of BEEAH Recycling, said: “We are excited to award Sharjah Cement Factory and Lafarge Emirates Cement/Geocycle as Green Partners. As BEEAH Recycling, we are able to process waste, recover materials, as well as produce products and fuels that can benefit operations across industries. However, achieving these circular economy solutions is only one part of the climate action equation. On the other side, clients and partners like the Sharjah Cement Factory and Lafarge Emirates Cement/Geocycle are the ones implementing the right solutions, reducing their impact on the environment and ultimately contributing to wider sustainability targets. Adoption of our solutions drives us to continue producing high-quality alternative fuels and innovating for a zero-waste, net-zero emissions future.”
On receiving the award, Pravinchandra Batavia, CEO of Sharjah Cement, said: “We are always looking at ways to minimise our impact on the environment as one of the UAE’s major cement production companies. It has been a pleasure to use the alternative fuel from BEEAH Recycling, which helps minimise our environmental impact. It is also beneficial for us that BEEAH Recycling is located near our factory, enabling to reduce emissions associated with transporting fuel for our operations. I thank BEEAH Recycling for the Green Partner award and look forward to further strengthening our ongoing partnership.”
Olivier Milhaud, General Manager of Lafarge Emirates Cement/Geocycle, member of the Holcim Group, also shared his thoughts on receiving the award. “We are working towards building progress for people and the planet; sustainability is a key value for our organisation and working with low emissions, low cost alternative fuel is an aligned decision for us. BEEAH Recycling has crafted a model where they not only produce this alternative fuel, but also divert waste away from the landfill at the same time. We are proud to support and partner with BEEAH Recycling with its zero waste to landfill targets. We look forward to healthy collaborations in the future and to building a sustainable world together.”
BEEAH Recycling’s 4 sq.km waste management complex includes the Solid Recovered Fuel facility, a Material Recovery Facility, a Biomass Facility, a Construction and Demolition Waste facility, an Alternative Raw Material facility, a Tyre Recycling Facility, a Metal Recycling Centre, an Industrial Wastewater Treatment Plant, a Commercial & Industrial waste processing facility and a specialised medical waste treatment plant through Wekaya. BEEAH Recycling continuously to optimise its processes, introduce new technologies into its facilities, produce new products and further increase its current rate of material recovery.
