Coca-Cola Beverages Uganda (CCBU) and Hima Cement Limited have recently entered into a significant three-year partnership aimed at repurposing plastic waste as an alternative fuel in cement production. The collaboration, announced on November 17 in Kampala, underscores a joint commitment to addressing plastic waste challenges through innovative and sustainable solutions.
Under the agreement, CCBU will supply Hima Cement with access to plastic waste generated from its operations. Hima Cement, utilizing its waste management subsidiary Geocycle, will responsibly handle and dispose of the plastic waste using internationally recognized co-processing technology. This process is intended to eliminate the environmental impact of PET waste and contribute to the circular economy.
Geocycle’s waste management solutions involve co-processing, ensuring a safe and sustainable approach to handling waste. In a strategic move to minimize carbon intensity, CCBU will provide Hima Cement with waste from its recycling process, specifically for use in the heating processes of the cement kiln. Importantly, this collaboration aims to leave no residue after the cement production process.
Kirunda Magoola, CCBU’s Public Affairs, Communications, and Sustainability Director, highlighted that the partnership includes joint efforts in raising awareness about proper waste management through effective communication channels. Jean-Michel Pons, the Hima Cement Country CEO, expressed the company’s commitment to a decarbonization and circular economy approach, emphasizing the utilization of end-of-life materials, such as industrial and agricultural wastes, to reduce the carbon intensity of cement production while providing innovative solutions to waste challenges.
