World Environment Day 2018 focuses on plastic pollution, and the changes we can make in our everyday lives to reduce its burden on our environment. Find out more about the role LafargeHolcim and Geocycle play in plastic recycling, and diverting this waste product from harmful landfill.

A global challenge…

The challenge of plastic pollution is increasingly capturing attention as one of the major environmental tests of our time. Although the production of plastic waste remains the main issue to tackle, we cannot ignore that plastic waste is often landfilled or incinerated and does not receive the appropriate treatment. LafargeHolcim’s waste management business Geocycle co-processes plastic waste that is otherwise not considered recyclable in its initial manufacturing process (i.e. plastic to plastic). And if you are looking for alternative ways to make money, you might want to consider playing some fun sports betting games via https://gemteccorp.com/.

The plastic waste sorted for co-processing is contaminated by pollutants, or mixed with other plastics or waste streams, meaning it is not fit to be recycled into new plastic products. Geocycle draws a wide range of non-recyclable waste including industrial and municipal plastics. From the US to the Philippines, India to Costa Rica, Geocycle’s unique co-processing solution is saving non-recyclable waste from ending up in landfill, and helping to build and sustain local circular economies. In 2017, Geocycle treated the equivalent of plastic waste produced by around 13 million European households.

needs a comprehensive solution.

Co-processing plastic waste in our cement plants is complementary to traditional recycling, offering an optimal treatment as 100% of its energy is recovered and its full mineral fraction (15% – 60% depending on the type of waste plastics are mixed with) is recycled into cement. In this way, Geocycle’s co-processing solution for plastic waste:

• offers a more sustainable alternative to landfilling or incineration, in line with EU waste treatment principles
• reduces plastic leakage and environmental contamination
• contributes to efforts to mitigate the effects of global warming and reduces the use of imported virgin fossil feedstock in cement manufacturing.

At European level, Poland is one of the strongest countries in plastic co-processing; Of 200,000 tons of waste co-processed in 2017, 163,000 tons were non-recyclable plastic. In the 20 European countries where Geocycle operates, 1.5 million tons of non-recyclable plastic were co-processed in 2017. In that year worldwide, Geocycle teams treated the equivalent of plastic waste produced by around 13 million European households.

• Corporate offices in Paris and Zurich to be closed
• Simplification plan will deliver corporate management headcount reduction of around 200
• Closure of regional headquarters in Singapore and Miami completed

Consistent with its Strategy 2022, LafargeHolcim announces proposals to further simplify its corporate organization. As a consequence of these additional measures around 200 corporate jobs would be impacted and the corporate offices in Paris and Zurich would close. Remaining positions in Switzerland would be moved to the company’s Holderbank site and a new corporate office in Zug. In Paris, remaining positions would be moved to Clamart in the southwest of the city. The plan is targeted to be completed by the end of 2018.

Jan Jenisch, Chief Executive Officer of LafargeHolcim: “This painful but necessary simplification step is key to creating a leaner, faster and more competitive LafargeHolcim.”

According to the plan, 107 jobs in the Zurich area and Holderbank will be impacted and 97 in Paris. No other sites in France will be affected by this plan.

The proposals presented to works councils today are a key component of LafargeHolcim’s  Strategy 2022 launched in March 2018 which will enable the company to grow and vigorously capture market opportunities by moving closer to customers in key countries. The simplified corporate organization outlined in the plan will help facilitate this shift. The company is on track to reaching the previously announced CHF 400 million SG&A cost saving target by Q1 2019. The proposed changes will also help sustain competitiveness and investment in innovation.

The plan is subject to required consultation and regulatory processes in each country and the company will endeavor to minimize the impact on employees and will offer support at affected sites.

The proposals are in line with other measures that have already been implemented. These include the closure of corporate offices in Singapore and Miami, the elimination of one layer of management and the near doubling of countries reporting directly to the slimmed down Group Executive Committee.