Sapphire, a CRH company, has launched a first-of-its-kind plant in Romania that will process non-recyclable waste into alternative fuel for cement production and contribute to Romania’s circular economy.
Operating a fully closed system from collection to processing, the Sapphire Fagaras plant will process industrial waste such as plastics, paper, cardboard and textiles that would otherwise go to landfill. Once processed, this waste will be used to replace carbon intensive fossil fuels in cement plants, with lower carbon options, contributing to emissions reduction. The plant has an installed capacity of 50,000 tonnes per year with potential to be scaled up in the future.
Investment in this dedicated facility supports Romcim, a CRH company, to increase the rate of fossil fuel substitution at its Hoghiz cement plant, with alternative fuels forming an important part of CRH’s decarbonisation roadmap.
Driving decarbonisation and reducing waste are key pillars of CRH’s sustainability framework. In 2022, we used 42.4 million tonnes of wastes and by-products from other industries as raw materials and alternative fuels. As a leader in this field, we see the circular economy as a cornerstone to delivering solutions for a sustainable future.
