Holcim Mexico and its waste management subsidiary Geocycle are expanding investment in waste recovery and alternative fuels as part of the cement producer's circular economy and decarbonisation strategy.
Holcim has invested more than US$500m in Mexico over the past five years, including projects designed to increase its capacity to recover and process waste. Geocycle currently operates seven facilities across the country, managing more than 600,000t of waste annually. Non-recyclable materials are processed for use as alternative fuels in cement production, while suitable materials can also substitute conventional raw materials.
The company has also recently added infrastructure at Tecomán, Colima, capable of processing more than 45,000tpa of sugar industry biomass for use as an alternative energy source in cement production.
Meanwhile, Holcim's ECOCycle technology is being used at its Arvide, Vallejo and Iztapalapa facilities to process construction and demolition waste. Recycled aggregates can replace up to 10 per cent of virgin aggregates in new concrete production.
Mexico generates more than 50Mt of municipal solid waste annually, of which only around five per cent is currently treated, according to data cited from the country's environment ministry.
