Setting New Standards for Circular Economy in the Cement Industry

In the past, recycling of refractory linings from the cement industry has not been possible due to contamination impregnating the linings during the cement production process. These contaminations lead to production issues and negative effects on the refractoriness when spent material is reused as raw material. RHIM has developed and patented a treatment method to reduce the contamination of spent refractories which technically enables their reuse. Linings based on this technology have a reduced CO₂ footprint of up to 20%. However, a business model based on a circular economy requires additional developments to be implemented in the organization. As spent refractory linings are classified as waste, the legal framework of the supply chain must be adapted. A changed supply chain setup enables the sourcing and cross-border shipment of spent refractories. With the introduction of products containing recycled material to the market, the perception of these “waste” products must be positively changed.