Frequent asked questions: Co-Processing
Can Co-Processing only be applied in the cement industry?
Co-Processing can also be applied in other industrial processes such as lime or steel production and power stations or any other large combustion plants.
Is there a link between Co-Processing and the reduction of green house relevant CO2 emissions?
Co-Processing can reduce the green house relevant CO2 emissions, if the waste material being used would instead have been burned without energy
recovery or being disposed in an uncontrolled manner.
Are the environmental impacts from landfills (leaching, gases) not easier to control in comparison to the more complex technology of Co-Processing?
Various life cycle analyses demonstrate that Co-Processing has less negative environmental impacts than landfill. Co-Processing doesn't release any
toxic substances to water and soil. The substitution with Alternate Fuels and Raw Materials (AFR) avoids the negative environmental impact of mining fossil fuels and conserves natural
resources. No additional emissions compared to traditional cement production will be created.
Which waste materials are most suitable for Co-Processing?
There is a wide range of waste material suitable for Co-Processing, ranging from animal fat to sludges from water treatment plants. However, the most
common solid wastes are papers, cartons, plastics, textiles, packaging material, tires, and wood. There are liquid waste byproducts such as used oil,
solvents, or paint sludge as end-of-line products from the transport sector or derivates from industrial activities. Obsolete pesticides and other
organic waste material can also be Co-Processed in cement plants.
Which waste material is not suitable for Co-Processing?
Electronic waste, entire batteries, infectious & biological active medical waste, mineral acids, corrosives, explosives, asbestos, radioactive waste,
unsorted municipal waste are not suitable for Co-Processing. Reasons for excluding them are the risk of excessive emissions, health and safety
provisions, negative impact on kiln operation, or the observation of the general waste hierarchy principles
Does Co-Processing of waste material generate dioxins and furans?
Independent of the use of alternative fuels any chlorine introduced to the kiln system in the presence of organic material may cause the formation of
small quantities of dioxins and furans in combustion processes. Due to the long residence time, the high temperatures in the kiln and the rapid cooling
of the exhaust gas dioxins and furans emissions are generally very low during steady kiln conditions. In Europe, cement production is not a significant
source of dioxins and furans emissions. Cement kilns typically can easily comply with an emission limit of 0.1 ng TEQ/Nm3.