Lafarge Cauldon works reaches 50 per cent AF substitution rate, UK

Lafarge Cement’s Cauldon Works has received recognition for its industry leading sustainability achievements which have seen it reach a 50 per cent reduction in reliance on fossil fuels.

The result places it at the forefront of the UK’s construction industry’s sustainability drive and has been recognised by the business’ international parent company, Lafarge Group, as part of its annual awards. These champion the efforts of employees worldwide who are transforming the way in which products are manufactured.

Lafarge Cement has worked over the last decade to source and develop the use of waste-derived fuels including Processed Sewage Pellets (PSP) and tyre chips, leading to today’s significant decrease in the use of fossil fuels across its operations.

Cauldon is only the third of Lafarge’s 166 production sites across the world to achieve this process milestone and run the calciner with no fossil fuel at all and 100 per cent waste-derived sustainable fuels.

With input and expertise from several parts of the business, the Cauldon team was able to run the calciner for a trial 10-hour-period, using two of the Works’ well-established waste-derived fuels, PSP and tyre chips. 

Cauldon Works’ optimisation manager, Andy Woodcock, said: “We are aware that environmental legislation across the construction sector will increase in the near future and we want to be sure that we have measures in place to stay at the forefront for environmental performance and delivering sustainably-produced products to our customers. "We’re pleased to announce this development which will help us continue to reduce our carbon footprint and reinforce our position as Lafarge UK’s flagship Works for the use of waste-derived fuels.”