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SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2017
29
MATERIALS MANAGEMENT
CMS does not believe in wastage when it comes to the management of
materials. With the aim of reducing the use of natural resources in our
operations where possible, we continue to research and innovate so as
to find more ways in which we can replace raw materials with recycled
resources.
Revitalising the Industrialised Building System (IBS) Business
The Group is endeavouring to revitalise the Industrialised Building
System (IBS) business through the Cement Division. IBS construction
underpins sustainable construction because it is able to address several
prevalent issues in some parts of the industry such as poor quality
of construction work, low productivity, a relatively long construction
period and too much dependency on foreign labour.
IBS construction was introduced somewhere in the 1960s by foreign
contractors for housing projects. i.e. landed and multi storey buildings.
However, several problems especially jointing issues and leakage at
the jointing caused poor uptake by the local industry players. Over the
years, with the advancement of technology some of these problems
have been solved. Despite this advancement, the level of acceptance of
IBS by local industry is still low.
IBS is the way forward for future construction projects. The Government
has shown its commitment in pushing the agenda on IBS through
making it mandatory for government projects to utilise at least 70%
IBS components. One of the measures to facilitate the industry and to
advocate IBS construction, which is where we will start, is to enhance
the level of knowledge among the professional fraternity in construction.
Cement Division’s Alternative Fuel and RawMaterials Committee
During the year in review, the Cement Division’s Alternative Fuel and
Raw Materials Committee held six meetings in which they focused
primarily on the suitability of the conversion of waste into a cement
raw material. In line with their discussions, all waste from Samalaju and
Samajaya Industries have been tested and research and development
(R&D) processes have taken place.
Reusing Waste in the Production of Clinker
For the first time in 2017, a total of 259.54 tonnes of Calcium Hydroxide
Ca(OH)² sludge was incorporated in the raw mix preparation. Future
volumes are subject to the availability of the sludge from various waste
generators. We are also continually looking into additional sourcing of
sludge from within the industry.
Following extensive research into using Phosphogypsum (PG) as a
replacement for limestone, our clinker plant has come to the conclusion
that the waste material is viable as a material replacement. We have plans
to purchase the waste material from an identified source. The plant has
also considered replacing its Light Fuel Oil (LFO) with Residual Fuel Oil
(RFO). We are in discussion with PETRONAS and have sourced several
recycled oil suppliers in the Kuching area.
The plant is also looking to substitute its use of limestone by up to 3%
by replacing this with sludge, old kiln bricks and ash. In line with this
initiative, our Cement Division’s environmental team contacted the
waste generators from the Samalaju Industrial Park (SIP) and Samajaya
Industrial areas. During the year, R&D in the laboratory, and then on
an industrial scale, on waste generated within SIP was conducted and
subsequently, the applications were submitted to and approved by the
Department of the Environment (DOE) in Putrajaya. Scheduled Wastes
Transportation licences especially on the sea route are being negotiated
with the DOE.
The Cement Division’s Alternative Fuel and Raw Materials Committee is
working with the DOE in Putrajaya and the plant teams to actualise the
3% substitution target. In 2018, the alternative raw materials’ usage will
increase significantly with the future approval of waste usage from the
waste generators at the SIP and at the Samajaya Free Industrial Zone.
Tyre-derived Fuel
In an effort to create sustainable energy through the recycling of
waste materials, CMS Cement Industries Sdn Bhd
(formerly known
as CMS Clinker Sdn Bhd)
, under its clinker operation, began to process
tyre-derived-fuel (TDF) in 2015 by burning small quantities of shredded
tyres purchased from a local-based supplier to manufacture clinker.
TDF is a fuel derived from scrap tyres of all kinds and it produces the
same energy as petrol and approximately 25% more energy than sub-
bituminous coal.
As the trials did not produce any significant negative effects at the
clinker plant, the Company is seeking the relevant approvals from
the governmental authorities like the Department of Environment,
Sarawak (DOE Sarawak) and the Natural Resources and Environment
Board, Sarawak (NREB) for the commercial usage of TDF. The DOE had
asked for the installation of a CEMS-Gas Analyser as a prerequisite for
the trial burn which was successfully carried out in December 2017.
As a trial, we will burn 300 tonnes of TDF in February or March 2018 and
once licensed, will co-process another 300 tonnes under a strict watch.
The Company has also established a long-term TDF supply contract with
ZHA Sdn Bhd, a Sarawakian-based company.
Manganese Slag Premix Aggregates Replacement for Road-based
Materials
CMS Pavement Tech Sdn Bhd from our Construction & Road
Maintenance Division has been researching the possibility of using
by-products of smelting plants in SIP as material in its road base.
The initiative aims to recycle the waste material which would otherwise
go into landfills, while at the same time exploring a potentially cheaper
source of input material. Silica fume is a by-product of producing
ferrosilicon alloys in smelting plants and is commonly used to
strengthen Portland Cement concrete due to its extreme fineness and
high silica content.
Environment