HOLCIM PHILIPPINES, Inc. has invested P121.5 million until 2022 to improve the alternative fuel processing facility at its cement plant in Norzagaray, Bulacan.

In a regulatory filing on Thursday, the company said the amount aims to improve the efficiency of its shredding operations that turn qualified waste materials to alternative fuels, establish new equipment, and upgrade storage and feeding facilities in its cement plant.

Holcim Philippines said the improvements will let its waste management unit support the company’s Bulacan plant in using more post-consumer and municipal solid wastes as alternative fuels, rather than coal.

According to the company, it has been using qualified wastes such as non-recyclable plastics and biomass as alternative fuels in cement manufacturing since 2003, which is converted via co-processing technology.

“In co-processing, qualified waste materials are pre-processed as alternative fuel and fed into the high-temperature kilns along with other traditional fuels to produce cement,” the company said.

“This process transforms wastes to alternative fuel and converts these into energy for cement production,” it added.

Holcim Philippines President and CEO John Stull said its waste management unit has helped communities and business partners in handling their wastes, while enabling the company to produce building materials with a more cost-efficient and environment-friendly method.

“This investment ensures we can continue being a reliable partner in the country’s sustainable development, while also meeting our objectives of making our operations more efficient and respectful of nature,” Mr. Stull was quoted as saying.

In 2020, Holcim said it had co-processed around 130,000 tons of qualified wastes from local governments, industry partners, and agricultural processors in its plants in Luzon and Mindanao.

On Thursday, shares in Holcim Philippines at the stock exchange dropped 0.84% or six centavos to end at P7.12 apiece. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave

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