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Under a three-year agreement formalized through a memorandum of understanding, CCBU will supply Hima Cement with plastic waste generated from its operations.
This waste will be managed and disposed of by Hima's waste management division, Geocycle, which specializes in safe and sustainable waste solutions using co-processing technology. The collaboration intends to put an end to the reliance on PET waste collected from the environment.
CCBU will contribute waste from its recycling processes to aid Hima Cement's heating procedures within the cement kiln, ensuring a residue-free utilization. Moreover, both companies will collaborate on awareness campaigns to promote proper waste management through effective communication.
Kirunda Magoola, Director of Public Affairs, Communications, and Sustainability at CCBU, stressed the importance of appropriately managing plastic waste through collaborative efforts, aiming to educate Ugandans on the significance of recycling and disposing of plastic waste.
“At CCBU, we are leading the industry in making our value chain increasingly sustainable in the way that we manufacture our products, how we distribute them and how we sell them. We have the scale and reach to make a real difference, and we’re using our leadership position to drive change and help put our planet on a more sustainable path.
“We can’t do it alone. We work with stakeholders, nonprofits, communities, governments and our industry toward a clean environment.
“We are working in our communities to educate people on why and how to recycle through consumer campaigns, on-package messaging and more to create a healthier environment for all,” Magoola said.
“Tackling the global plastic waste crisis requires cross-sector collaboration and alignment on common principles and targets. We work with a range of stakeholders at a regional and local level.
“This includes partnering with governments and community organisations to strengthen recycling infrastructure and boost collection rates, collaborating with customers, peers and industry associations to shape public policy that supports a circular economy; and teaming up with suppliers, startups and R&D partners to fuel sustainable packaging innovation.
“The partnership with Hima Cement is one example of this. We are investing in infrastructure and exploring how to support additional recycled PET capacity in Uganda.
Jean-Michel Pons, the Hima Cement Country CEO, said: “As part of our decarbonisation and circular economy approach, we utilise materials at the end of their lifecycle as alternative fuels, such as industrial wastes like plastics and agricultural wastes like biomass, thus reducing the carbon intensity of our cement while offering a unique solution to waste challenges.”