TOPIC:

Initiative

SUBMITTED FROM:

Building on 120 years of industry experience, TITAN cement company S.A. is one of the leading producers of cement, ready mix concrete, aggregates and ready mix dry mortars in Greece with 64 production and distribution facilities. TITAN cement company S.A. is a member of TITAN Cement Group, who serves customers in 25 countries, in four continents. In a world of increasing complexity, we are adapting and evolving to serve the needs of society, while contributing to sustainable growth with responsibility and integrity.

Objective Action

By integrating the circular economy, the cement industry can contribute to sustainable development, in particular through the business model of energy recovery and material recycling.

Target Audience

Business and society

Duration

2001 - 2018

Description

The circular economy is a reliable, modern proposal for sustainable development, which has multiple benefits for society, the economy and the environment. That is why at TITAN we support it in practice as a business model.

Circular economy is, simply put, extending the life cycle of products, while saving non-renewable natural resources, through the reduction, reuse, recycling and recovery of raw materials, energy and waste.

The Greek Sector of TITAN supports the transformation possibilities of the Greek economy that the transition to the circular economy model can bring. Changes that range from solving chronic problems and conflicts, such as waste management, to providing new investment opportunities, and act as a catalyst for sustainable development.

At TITAN cement plants, between 2003 and 2018, approximately 22.4 million tons of industrial by-products and waste were used to replace natural raw materials. The utilization of construction and demolition waste in the production of cement is an innovative solution that TITAN has piloted in recent years, proving that cement is a 100% recyclable material. In addition, concrete returns from the units of our subsidiary "INTERBETON", which would have been sent to landfill, are now used in the production of cement as alternative raw materials. In particular, in 2018, the Kamari factory reached a rate of 37% (thermal) replacement of conventional with alternative fuels, while overall our factories in Greece reached a rate of 22.8%.

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Impact on Society

For the environment, as this saves natural non-renewable resources (fossil fuels and raw materials) and reduces carbon dioxide emissions, since the double burning of fossil fuels in the cement industry and waste in incinerators (or their burial) is avoided. According to a study by ECOFYS-CEMBUREAU it is estimated that increasing co-processing in cement production to 60% will lead to a reduction of 26 million tons of CO2 emissions in the EU.

With the utilization of the cement industry, the need to create new incineration facilities is reduced for the foreseeable future,

For the local community, as a safe solution is provided, complementary to recycling, for the management of its waste in existing, environmentally sound units, reducing its burial needs.

It is noted that at the licensing stage it is ensured that the gas emissions of the furnaces do not affect public health, through mandatory dispersion studies carried out in accordance with European Directives.

Also, by strengthening the competitiveness of a cement company, the local community is also directly strengthened, through the contribution of the company to the local economy, to employment, to education and to a multitude of other local initiatives.

Initiative Location

TITAN Factories Greece Sector

Working with Organization

Internal initiative.

Workers Participation

Workers in factories and staff center TITAN Sector Greece.

Benefits for Οrganization

For the cement industry, as it supports the response to climate change and improves its international competitiveness, with positive consequences for the national economy. In particular, in the last five years, by replacing non-renewable resources with alternative fuels, we have saved more than 190,000 tons of CO₂ and 250,000 tons of carbon equivalent, at the same time providing an economic solution to the waste management of our society, in the safest and internationally tested way.

The use of alternative raw materials and fuels in the production of cement is an excellent example of industrial symbiosis and a beneficial solution to the problem of waste management.

At the same time, the use of alternative fuels follows specific high standards, which aim to ensure the health and safety of our staff and the observance of environmental limits and the quality specifications of our products.