The investments made by Algeria in the cement sector have made it possible to satisfy the domestic market and move into exports. However, this sector is known for its high energy consumption, particularly of natural gas, which generates significant GHG emissions.
The use of waste in the cement industry has the potential to contribute to effective and appropriate waste management, improved resource efficiency and reduced GHG emissions, thereby supporting international climate agreements and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.
An initiative launched in 2018 by the GICA Group involved the integration of industrial and municipal waste by co-incineration in the kiln of the Meftah cement plant, Blida, Algeria, affiliated to the GICA Group. This initiative failed to produce convincing results.
To this end, the GICA Group has submitted, through Algeria's END, a request for technical assistance to assess the technical and economic feasibility of using waste in cement plants in order to meet some of the challenges previously encountered. In particular, a pilot project will be prepared as part of this technical assistance to demonstrate feasibility.