Waste to Energy
Since July 2020, FENV has been implementing the co-processing approach by working with cement suppliers chosen by customers to convert non-recyclable production waste into energy. The waste-to-energy (WTE) process takes place in a high-temperature environment in the cement kiln. During the second half of 2020, the recycling and reuse rate at FENV rose from 75% to 100%.
Based on the waste hierarchy identified by the European Union, top priority is given to avoidance, followed by reuse, recycle, energy recovery and disposal. Co-processing is considered an energy recovery activity that partially replaces fuel with waste to reduce the use of raw materials. The treatment minimizes environmental impacts from quarrying, transporting and processing, which reduces GHG emissions, mitigates global warming and improves environmental indicators such as ecological footprints.
Additionally, a study done by WBCSD indicates that while dioxins cannot not be properly treated in an incinerator, it does decompose at an average temperature of 1,300oC in a cement kiln. Cement kiln detoxifies the majority of waste materials generated by humans, and regenerates them into reusable resources.