Lafarge and Geocycle Canada inaugurate first company-owned Low-carbon Fuel Plant in the country
TORONTO, ON, Sept. 24, 2024 - Lafarge Canada and Geocycle Canada, members of Holcim Group, and the Department of Natural Resources Canada (NRCan), Office of Energy Research and Development (OERD), today announced the opening of Geocycle's first low-carbon1 fuel plant in Canada – a more than $10-million facility located at the Lafarge Canada Brookfield Cement Plant (NS). The investment represents one of the most transformative initiatives in the 50-year history of the cement plant. The project received $3.53 million from the federal government's Energy Innovation Program (EIP), created to advance clean energy technologies to support Canada's transition to a low-carbon economy.
"Cement is a vital component of infrastructure projects that contribute to economic growth. By implementing sustainable and innovative solutions to reduce our environmental impact, we're serving the needs of our customers and the communities in which we operate both now and in the future," says David Redfern, president and CEO, Lafarge Canada (East). "Our continued collaboration with Geocycle Canada reinforces our commitment to invest and advance circular construction in Canada."
When in full production, the new plant will divert approximately 14,000 tonnes of waste away from landfills annually to be pre-processed into low-carbon fuel, minimizing the Brookfield Cement Plant's reliance on traditional fossil fuels. It is expected that this will reduce carbon emissions at the plant by more than 12,000 tonnes per year2 equivalent to taking 13,480 passenger vehicles off the road3.
As Geocycle's first-of-its-kind in the country, the low-carbon fuel plant will take waste products like nonrecyclable plastics, and soon, construction and demolition waste materials, from local sources, turning it into low carbon fuels to make cement, and ultimately the concrete used in construction projects in the area and beyond. The new facility is also expected to create jobs in the local Nova Scotia community.
"At Geocycle, our solutions are circular by design," says Sophie Wu, Head of Geocycle North America. "We are happy to take another significant step in our ongoing partnership with Lafarge Canada. This is a great example of our work toward the decarbonization of the construction industry in Canada."
“The construction industry is playing a pivotal role in advancing the growth of Canada’s sustainable economy. Through the project announced today, Lafarge Canada and Geocycle North America are supporting the Canadian economy and the Canadian environment by diverting a significant amount of waste from landfills and turning them into low-carbon fuel for cement production. This federal government is pleased to support this project, which is boosting the construction industry in Nova Scotia, leading to economic benefits and a lower-carbon future.” says The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources.
The Plant commissioning started in June 2024 when the Lafarge and Geocycle teams initiated their work with local manufacturers and materials recovery facilities (MRFs) to collect their waste to be pre-processed at the new facility. Together, both organizations are working toward finding solutions to decarbonize the construction industry. In May, the companies announced the completion of a pilot project to produce high-quality clinker made of recycled materials recovered from waste sources. Clinker is the main ingredient in cement – the active ingredient in concrete.
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1 Low (or lower or alternative low) carbon fuels are defined here and in some Canadian jurisdictions as fuels with lower carbon emissions than the fossil fuels they replace, which in the case of the Brookfield plant is coal.
2 Applicable to Scope 1 plant emissions with reductions determined using WBCSD/WCI methodology
3 Figure calculated using Natural Resources Canada Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculator.
About Lafarge Canada Inc.
Lafarge Canada is the largest provider of innovative and sustainable building solutions in Canada, including aggregates, cement, ready mix and precast concrete, asphalt and paving, road and civil construction. We have over 6,900 employees and 400 sites across the country, and as an affiliate of Holcim, Lafarge Canada is driven by the Group’s purpose to build progress for people and the planet.
Holcim’s 63,448 employees are on a mission to decarbonize building while improving living standards for all. We empower our customers to build better with less, with a broad range of low-carbon and circular solutions, from ECOPact® to ECOPlanet®. Through innovative systems, from Elevate’s roofing to PRB’s insulation, Holcim makes buildings more sustainable in use, driving energy efficiency and green retrofitting.
With sustainability at the core of its strategy, Holcim is on its way to becoming a net-zero company with 1.5°C targets validated by SBTi.
About Geocycle
In a world of increasing population and rising urbanization, Geocycle provides sustainable solutions to municipalities and industries by transforming waste into resources: recycling, when possible, while valorizing non-recyclable materials. As a dedicated part of Holcim Group, we operate globally and offer large-scale and scientifically proven recovery and recycling solutions. We set industry leading standards, foster industrial symbiosis and provide peace of mind to our partners for achieving their own sustainability targets. We strive to achieve zero waste of resources, which leads to decarbonization, circular economy and building progress for people and the planet.
About Holcim
Holcim is a global leader in innovative and sustainable building solutions with net sales of CHF 27.0 billion in 2023. Driven by our purpose to build progress for people and the planet, our 63,448 employees are on a mission to decarbonize building, while improving living standards for all. We empower our customers across all regions to build better with less, with a broad range of low-carbon and circular solutions, from ECOPact and ECOPlanet to our circular technology platform ECOCycle®. Through innovative systems, from Elevate roofing to PRB insulation, Holcim makes buildings more sustainable in use, driving energy efficiency and green retrofitting. With sustainability at the core of our strategy, we are on the way to becoming a net-zero company with 1.5°C targets validated by SBTi.
Learn more about Holcim on www.holcim.com, and by following us on LinkedIn.
Contacts
Lafarge Canada Inc.
Anna Salomao
anna.salomao@lafarge.com
