UAE climate change ministry signs AF deal with cement companies

The UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment and Emirates RDF have signed Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with four cement companies – Fujairah Cement Industries, JSW Cement, Lafarge Emirates Cement and Star Cement – that will enable the cement producers to use alternative fuel (AF)  generated from municipal solid waste (MSW) treated by Emirates RDF.

A joint venture between Besix, Griffin Refineries and Tech Group Eco, Emirates RDF operates a plant in Umm Al Qaiwain, the first of its kind in the country, where it treats MSW from Ajman and Umm Al Qaiwain to produce refuse-derived fuel (RDF) for use in cement plants.

The agreements with the cement companies are part of the Ministry’s efforts to boost the involvement of the private sector in achieving net-zero, applying circular economy principles, and building an integrated waste management system, said a statement from the ministry.

The agreements were signed in the presence of Mariam bint Mohammed Almheiri, minister of climate change and environment, representatives of the Follow-Up Committee of the Initiatives of the UAE President, members of the Follow-up and Supervision Committee of the Emirates RDF Project, and executive directors of the cement factories.

Mariam Almheiri said: "The participation of the private sector is the main pillar of the UAE’s green economy transition and the adoption of circular economy methods, the foremost of which is integrated waste management. Therefore, the ministry is keen to expand its cooperation with private sector entities to enhance their effective contribution to the country’s endeavours to drive sustainable economic development and build a better, greener future."

"The signing of the agreements with a group of leading cement factories in the country to partially use alternative fuel in their operations is a high-impact step within our efforts to implement integrated waste management and reduce harmful emissions," she stated.