Golden Bay Cement completes waste tyre project

New Zealand-based Fletcher Building has announced the completion of its project at Golden Bay Cement, which will see up to 3m used tyres be used in cement manufacturing every year.

The upgrade to the integrated cement plant based in Portland, Whangarei, was officially opened by New Zealand's Minister for the Environment, David Parker. It is expected to reduce carbon emissions by around 13,000tpa and cut the producer’s coal usage by 15 per cent.

"Using end-of-life tyres in cement manufacturing helps to solve a significant waste problem in New Zealand as well as improve the sustainability of a key building material. Up to 50 per cent of the 6.3m waste tyres created in New Zealand each year will now be used in cement manufacturing at the Golden Bay Cement plant instead of going into landfill," said Ross Taylor, CEO, Fletcher Building.