Alternative fuel plant achieves 75,000t of valorised waste in first-year

Cementos Molins celebrates the first year of operation of its alternative raw materials plant, located within its facilities in Barcelona, Spain, with a significant milestone. The company has announced that the plant has successfully valorised more than 75,000t of non-hazardous construction and demolition waste, as well as other non-hazardous industrial waste, in its first anniversary.

Cementos Molins' alternative raw materials plant, which covers an area of over 3250m², was inaugurated in September 2022 following an investment of nearly EUR2m. With the operation of the plant, Cementos Molins can manage waste comprehensively, from suitable storage services to collection and transportation to the valorisation plant, ensuring minimal environmental impact throughout the waste management cycle. 

The alternative raw materials facility, with a potential capacity of over 200,000t receives waste in coarse, granular, powder, and sludge formats. Two types of treatment are carried out at the plant: crushing and screening, in which waste from concrete plants is processed to manufacture recycled aggregates with a CE mark. The second treatment involves the dosing and homogenisation of industrial and construction waste to produce new alternative materials to produce Cementos Molins' cements.  

This plant prevents the direct emission of more than 2000t of CO₂ per year. Additionally, the plant's proximity to the cement factory significantly reduces transportation costs for raw materials. "It allows us to valorise our own resources while saving CO₂ emissions in the processes of raw material transport and product manufacturing. This procedure enables us to avoid the extraction of 75,000t of material from quarries, extending the lifespan of our quarries and promoting the sustainable use of natural resources," Carlos Martínez, Director of Corporate Development and Sustainability at Cementos Molins explains. 

Cementos Molins' commitment to the circular economy aligns with the goals outlined in its Sustainability Roadmap 2030, a roadmap that will lead the company to reduce its CO₂ emissions by 20 per cent by 2030.