Monika Michalska, Commercial Manager at Geocycle Poland: We protect the environment and support the sustainable development strategy

Geocycle is a subsidiary of Lafarge, which deals with the acquisition of alternative sources and uses modern technologies implementing the idea of a dedicated economy. Could you tell me more about the specifics of the geocycle?

Geocycles set up to avoid the generation of conventional waste and raw materials in factories, and managed banks that cannot conduct business. At Geocycle, we try to make sure that there was no waste – we are doing it with progress, due to the history of production, which could not be handled by our cement plants 0.4 million tons of waste. In addition, supervision over the production process of alternative fuels, specially selected materials to avoid the preservation of materials, saving carbon in the production process, how it is safe and controlled. The activities of the geocycle also leave environmental protection and support environmental protection – conducting activities aimed at supporting the community, removing waste that is owned by wheels in Kujawy, we provide the processing of our services on wheels. All to,, to, show you how to play for cementing in waste engraving.

Why is there a company like Geocycle in the structures of the Holcim Group? What connects the cement industry with waste management?

Globally, Geocycle operates in all countries where the Holcim Group operates – the mission is to reduce CO2 emissions from cement production and maximize the share of alternative fuels in the energy stream supplying all of the Group’s cement plants in the world. The cement industry is related to waste management and is an important pillar of the circular economy, because it uses waste that no one else wants to use – in order to reduce the share of coal in the clinker burning process. It is worth noting that the vast majority of waste used in the production of fuels from waste is municipal waste that cannot be recycled. Additionally, the course of the co-incineration process is waste-free – the cement plant is therefore the last link “closing” the waste management system. Due to the fact that a dedicated company has been established in the structures of Lafarge in Poland, we are sure that the waste going to our plants has actually been properly selected for our needs, but also properly “cared for” in the process of their processing and co-incineration by specialized experts.

What is the alternative fuel used in your company obtained from? What conditions must the material meet in order to be recyclable?

The most important issue is that, according to the waste management hierarchy, recycling is above energy recovery and we fully respect it. We only use waste that cannot be recycled, and which is legally also “too good” for disposal. Only a few fractions, such as PET bottles, household chemicals or cosmetics packaging, are recycled in Poland. All other packaging ends up in the stream of alternative fuels, and we use this waste to the best of our ability. Even in the recycling process, some residues are generated that cannot be processed – then we also undertake the processing of such waste into fuels. Due to the fact that the residues from the combustion of alternative fuels are embedded in the clinker structure and are a component of cement and replace a very energetic raw material, which is coal, quality is a key issue for us. When starting cooperation, we pay special attention to the sorting method and the way of storing waste so that the wrong raw material does not disturb the production proces

Monika Michalska

Commercial Manager at Geocycle Polska

Monika Michalska has been in the structures of Lafarge in Poland for 8 years, specializing in alternative fuels and waste. At Geocycle, he is responsible for the purchase of alternative fuels and waste for the Małogoszcz Cement Plant and the Kujawy Cement Plant. She is a graduate of Environmental Engineering at AGH in Krakow and postgraduate studies at the Vistula Academy of Finance and Business and the Warsaw University of Technology Business School. She gained experience, among others at the Ministry of the Environment, dep. Waste management, where she learned about the specifics of the industry from the regulatory and administrative side. In social media, she is known as the Lady of Waste, where she conducts educational activities on waste segregation and rational approach to ecology.