Cement unit achieves drop in carbon footprint

CHENNAI: A cement company’s unit in Tamil Nadu has reduced carbon emissions by 2,250 tonnes per annum after it achieved the distinction of meeting one-fourth of its fuel requirement through utilisation of waste materials sourced from local municipal corporations and industries.

Reddipalayam Cement Works, UltraTech Cement’s integrated unit, with the increased usage of alternative fuels, is now 16.25 times plastic positive. The municipal waste was sourced from 11 local municipal corporations including Ariyalur, Erode, Kumbakonam, Thanjavur,  Perambalur, and Karur. The unit also sourced plastic waste from cities such as Chennai and Kozikhode.

This waste is co-processed in  Reddipalayam Cement Works’ cement kilns as alternative fuels. Co-processing is a term used for utilising non-recyclable waste materials such as industrial waste, non-biodegradable plastic, and other waste in cement kiln as alternative fuel and as raw material, according to a release.

Over utilisation of landfills in the surrounding districts had earlier led to open-air burning of municipal solid waste. Reddipalayam Cement Works’ alternative fuels initiative has cut down the burden on these landfills and helped reduce air and soil pollution in those districts.

It also co-processes plastic waste sourced from the paper industries located in multiple cities in Tamil Nadu including Karur, Tiruchirappalli, and Coimbatore. Refuse  derived fuel (RDF) from professional organisations also contribute as alternative fuel for the unit, the release added.