Advances and Challenges for the Co-processing in Latin American Cement Industry

Abstract

Co-processing is an industrial technique of using wastes as a substitute for raw materials and/or fuels, as a way to minimize the consumption of minerals and non-renewable fossil fuels. This paper presents a brief overview on such practices conducted by the cement industry in Latin America. The main issue addressed is co-processing as a contribution to develop a more sustainable scenario in cement production and as a valuable tool in waste management. Cement industries are particularly suitable for wastes co-processing, due to the high temperatures reached inside their kilns, which favor the degradation of toxic compounds formed upon burning of certain wastes. Developed countries, particularly in the European Union, have been replacing fossil fuels by wastes since the 1970's. In the Netherlands, the calorific substitution rate is higher than 80%, while in Austria, Germany and Norway it is over 60%. In Latin America, those values vary between 7 and 20% according to the country. This study has found that the main differences between European and Latin American regions are caused by distinct implementation degrees of waste management chain and by legal requirements and inspection practices of industrial activities. However, the Cement Sustainability Initiative (CSI) estimates that until 2030, the substitution of fossil fuels by wastes in Latin America will reach 25 to 35%. This numbers are the same reached by Denmark, France and Sweden in 2010.