Lafarge Brookfield plant looks into use of waste plastic for coal substitution

Lafarge Canada’s Brookfield cement plant plans to apply to the Environment Department of Nova Scotia for a trial permit to burn waste plastic as fuel. The plastic, which would otherwise go to landfill, would partially replace coal use at the plant. The project is expected to create jobs in the local area, related to the preparation and transportation of the potential fuel. The cement plant will run an open house on 17 July as part of the community consultation process.

Lafarge Brookfield was named ‘Large Business of the Year’ in the 2013 RRFB Nova Scotia Mobius Awards of Environmental Excellence. The awards recognised the eco-credentials of the plant’s new MaxCem product, which utilises steel byproducts, thereby avoiding 18 000 t of CO₂ and cutting coal use by 2500 t.

The plant also recently ran a pilot project using treated fracking wastewater to cool the kiln exhaust gases. During the trial, 2 million litres of fracking water were used, disposing of the wastewater while reducing the amount of water taken from other sources, such as the Shortts Lake.

Edited from various sources by Louise Fordham

Read the article online at: https://www.worldcement.com/the-americas/01072014/lafarge_brookfield_plant_to_apply_for_waste_plastic_fuel_trial_permit_10/