Holcim to help tackle Philippine plastic pollution challenge

Holcim Philippines is looking to increase its consumption of residual plastics as alternative fuels to help the country in its waste management efforts.

Building solutions provider Holcim Philippines, Inc. plans to be a stronger partner in addressing the country’s plastic waste challenges by using more such materials as alternative fuel in cement production.

A recent report released by the United Nations Environment Programme showed that the Philippines along with China, Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam accounts for more than half of plastic wastes that end up in the world’s oceans. For the Philippines, several groups have backed the use of waste-to-energy technologies as a way to lessen its plastics leaking to oceans.

While primarily known as a cement maker, Holcim Philippines is among those with the technology that contributes to the reduction of the country’s plastics problem. The company uses co-processing technology, wherein qualified materials such as non-recyclable plastics are used as an alternative to coal in making cement, through its waste management unit Geocycle.

Since Geocycle started operations in 2010, Holcim Philippines has co-processed more than 25,000 metric tons of plastic wastes from various industrial partners and local governments. The practice reduces the company’s traditional fuel consumption while providing a sustainable waste management option that helps lessen plastic wastes ending up in landfills and oceans.

In co-processing, waste materials like plastic are fed into the high-temperature kilns along with other raw materials of cement. This process completely eliminates the wastes and converts these to energy for cement production. The technology is approved by the Philippine authorities and is widely used all over the world for waste management due to its proven advantages in environmental and safety performance.

Holcim Philippines President and CEO John Stull said, “Geocycle is stepping up engagement with the private sector and studying possible collaboration with a number of local governments on providing its co-processing services.”

“Holcim Philippines is a committed partner in the country’s development and we are contributing more beyond building materials. Our Geocycle business is a clear example as it helps alleviate the country’s waste management challenges, which is expected to grow along with the economy,” he added.

Geocycle is looking to have pilot projects with a number of local governments in 2019 to demonstrate the advantages of its waste management service over current alternatives such as landfilling.

About Holcim Philippines

Holcim Philippines, Inc. (Philippine Stock Exchange: HLCM) is one of the leading building solution companies in the country. The Company has a deep portfolio of innovative solutions fostered by a full range of products from structuring to finishing applications that can help local builders execute with high performance and efficiency a wide range of projects from massive infrastructure to simple home repairs.

With cement manufacturing facilities in La Union, Bulacan, Misamis Oriental and Davao, as well as aggregates and dry mix business and technical support facilities for building solutions, Holcim Philippines is a reliable partner of builders in the country.

Holcim Philippines is also committed to the highest standards of sustainable operations and manufacturing excellence with its plants certified under ISO 14001:2004 (Environmental Management System), ISO 9001:2008 (Quality Management System) and OHSAS 18001:2007 (Occupational Health and Safety Management System).

Holcim Philippines is a member of the LafargeHolcim Group, the world leader in the building materials industry present in 80 countries with over 80,000 employees.