prijava
SARAJEVO, October 3 (FENA) - Harald Fritsch, CEO of the Austrian company Asamer Baustoffe AG, that owns Lukavac Cement Factory, told FENA that the focus of the upcoming conference "From Waste to Green Energy with less CO₂" will be on the Western Balkans, particularly on Bosnia and Herzegovina.
“As we are aware, we are in an industrialized region, industrialized country, so the main topic for our future is decarbonize the industry, but also to show the audience how current trends can help to decarbonize our industries in general, but in particular the industry we as a company are in as a cement producer,” said Fritsch.
He added that the other topic is about circular economy and waste management, although at first glance that might not be connected.
“If we look a little deeper, there is a close connection between the cement industry and waste management in general. This should be shown by several speakers from that industry, from various associations and other countries, in order to transfer the best practices and give insights on what could be done in order to help speeding up decarbonisation of the industry,” Fritsch pointed out.
He stated that their intention was not to do everything from scratch, but to have speakers in the conference who give more information on how other countries are implementing decarbonisation and waste management, and how to connect those two topics.
Fritsch explained that the cement industry is still focused on the use of fossil fuels such as coal and gas, and the goal is to replace them with alternative fuels derived from waste streams.
“Such fuels are part of a circular economy which means they derive from waste that cannot be recycled and would otherwise be landfilled, which is the worst way to dispose of waste,” Fritsch said.
He stressed that it would be best to recycle waste but we are aware that this is not always possible so large quantities are decomposed in landfills, releasing CO2 and other emissions which must be avoided.
"Industries like cement industry operate at very high temperatures and can incinerate waste, as the only remaining option for waste that cannot be recycled, thus replacing fossil fuels and decarbonising our industry," Fritsch said.
He reminded that some European countries have significantly advanced in the use of alternative fuels when it comes to cement production, with more than 80 percent share of such fuels.
“That is our goal and we know that there are good practices that we can study and decide what we can implement in our countries,” said Fritsch.
He added that it is crucial for the Western Balkans to discuss waste management, recycling and the circular economy in order to avoid any landfill disposal in the future.
“Such a way of disposing of waste is certainly important from the ecological aspect but also from the social one because it creates new industries and jobs. I see this as the main motive for such an approach,” Fritsch underlined.
The International Conference "From Waste to Green Energy with less CO₂" will be held on October 6, 2021 in Sarajevo.
The objective of the conference is to discuss burning issues, exchange positive experiences and raise awareness and motivation, based on the best international and domestic practice, about the possibilities of applying similar ideas in organizations and communities where conference participants operate.
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