Cement giant teams up with SITA to produce RDF

Major cement firm CEMEX UK has joined forces with SITA UK to produce all the refuse-derived fuel needed to power its cement Kiln in Rugby.

SITA UK will build two recycling plants which will produce CEMEXs own brand of refuse derived fuel known as Climafuel from local residual household and business waste.

Under the terms of the deal, SITA UK be reponsible for building and operating the plants, one in Birmingham, and another on land adjacent to CEMEXs cement kiln in Rugby.

The processing will involve sorting and shredding of material.

Planning permission for both plants has already been approved, and work on the Birmingham facility is expected to be completed by the end of 2012. Work on the Rugby plant is expected to start later this year and be finished by early 2014. The combined cost of the two plants is expected to be in the region of 25million.

Fuel

Currently CEMEX is permitted by the Environment Agency to derive around 65% of the fuel needed to power its Rugby kiln around 250,000 tonnes from waste sources, although it is currently applying to increase this to 80%.

CEMEX also has planning permission in place for a similar facility to be operated by WRF in Scunthorpe but currently sources RDF from a number of waste management firms across the country, which pay CEMEX a gate fee to dispose of the material.

However a spokesman for the company told letsrecycle.com that once the facilities become fully operational, the company would stop taking in RDF from elsewhere.

The spokesman said: We source Climafuel from a number of places across the country. Our current suppliers are aware that since 2009 we have had plans in place to construct our own plant, so it wont come as a surprise to them. The demand for RDF is still high, so it shouldnt be a problem.

For us the benefit is that we have a dedicated supply of fuel to the plant, and waste will be sourced locally which is more sustainable than sourcing it from various locations around the country.

Plans

Before announcing its agreement with SITA, CEMEX had originally applied for planning permission to build the Rugby MBT in August 2008 with WRG (see letsrecycle.com story), although this agreement is no longer in place.

The CEMEX spokesman told letsrecycle.com that the companies had mutually agreed not to pursue the project, but will continue to work alongside each other in other areas.

Dan Panormo, CEMEXs renewable energy manager, said: We are delighted that SITA UK are able to work with us in securing local waste and providing the facilities for the production of Climafuel. With the fuel coming from within a 30 mile radius of the cement plant from Birmingham and subsequently from Malpass Farm, it guarantees the environmental credentials of this alternative fuel.

This new partnership will provide a secure and long term supply of Climafuel while providing the local communities around Birmingham and Rugby with a positive solution to waste that would otherwise go to landfill.