Closed circuit for a sustainable industry, cement sector contribution

Abstract

The search of a sustainable development for the industry can only be understood from a global approach which takes account of both the industrial activity and the product. Industrial activity needs adding new systems to the production process that minimize its impact reducing the consumption of resources and atmospheric emissions. The product must incorporate sustainable features such as the capacity to be recycled and/or valorised throuhgout its life cycle and, so, being reintroduced again in the industrial activity. This way, product turns into the cornerstone of a “closed circuit” production system that involves all industrial sectors in recycling products and waste and minimizes the frootprint of the process. Cement sector must continue insisting on the development of recycling of cementicious maerials and also on the recycling of materials during its production, and, especially, we must continue studying in depth the relationship between Life Cycle and recycling, which will provide the sector with a methodology and with useful tools to reduce the environmental impact. Therefore, the sector is making efforts for achieving an industry in “closed circuit”, in which materials and energy are re-used, minimizing to the maximum its affection to the environment. At the same time, we are working on the conceptualizing of this production model that involves all the industrial sectors in material recycling. As a reuslt of this commitment, cement industry has signed aggrement of colaboration with FER and Sigrauto to use vehicles out of use and with UNESID to valorise steel waste and also the project Pressure for a global management of industrial waste.