Holcim to step up use of alternative fuels to manage costs, help address PH garbage crisis

Holcim officials led by and President and CEO John Stull (fifth) and Vice President for Geocycle Frederic Vallat (third from left) visited Senator Cynthia Villar, Chairperson of the Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Climate Change, on January 14 to share the company’s efforts to contribute to addressing the waste management challenges in the country

Leading cement maker Holcim Philippines, Inc. plans to further increase its consumption of qualified and properly segregated and pre-processed waste as alternative fuels and raw materials to manage costs and help ease the garbage challenge in the country.

Through its waste management unit Geocycle, Holcim Philippines used in 2019 more than 170,000 tons of waste materials from industries and communities as alternative fuels and raw materials with its co-processing technology. This allowed the company to avoid coal in cement production for 38 days leading to lower carbon emissions and fuel costs while helping its partners manage their wastes in an eco-friendly manner.

Holcim Philippines President and CEO John Stull said that the company will continue to drive co-processing operations and consumption of alternative fuels and raw materials to manage costs and have a more positive impact on the country.

“Aside from its business benefits, our Geocycle unit enables us to further contribute to Philippine development in a sustainable manner. Through our co-processing operations, we are able to lower our carbon footprint and help ease the waste management challenges of the country while producing an essential building material for development,” he said.

In 2019, Holcim Philippines agreed to pre-process as alternative fuel the segregated wastes of several local governments near its plants in Luzon and Mindanao and expressed readiness to help more communities on this matter. The company has also co-processed tens of thousand tons of non-recyclable plastics as it continues to provide waste management services to partners in various industries.

Holcim Philippines officials have also stepped up engagement with key government officials such as Senator Cynthia A. Villar, Chairperson of the Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Climate Change, to express the company’s commitment to support sustainable waste management in the country through co-processing.

In co-processing, qualified waste materials after pre-processed as alternative fuel and fed into the high-temperature kilns along with other raw materials to produce cement. This process transform wastes to alternative fuel and converts them into energy for cement production. The technology is recognized globally and is approved by the Philippine authorities due to its proven advantages in environmental and safety performance.

Holcim’s efforts come as environment authorities sounded the alarm last year on garbage management in the country highlighting the need for concerted effort from various sectors as continued economic growth has led to an unprecedented generation of waste.