Bamburi Cement, through its waste management division Geocycle, is looking to partner with oil marketers across the country to collect and safely dispose waste oil from their service stations. The company is also targeting car manufacturers, dealers, big transporters, fleet owners and garages.
Waste oil, if not well controlled and managed, can be misused to adulterate lubricants or be recycled and sold as poor quality contraband lubricants. Such actions have a devastating economic impact to the oil marketers and the society in general and, also contribute to damage of the environment through pollution.
Kenya is currently grappling with over 30 million litres of waste oil produced annually.
Geocycle says it will employ globally accepted waste management systems by utilizing Bamburi Cement kilns to dispose of waste oil through co-processing. Co-processing of waste in Bamburi’s Cement kilns offers a superior environment friendly solution to waste management that leaves zero residue and no waste due to the high temperatures involved. The process is considered one of the most environmentally friendly ways of disposing of waste oil.
Additionally, co-processing reduces greenhouse gas emissions since waste is used to replace fossil fuels and raw materials. By using waste oil as alternative fuel, Geocycle will contribute to the preservation of fossil fuels and other natural resources that would normally be mined to be used in cement production.
There are about 60 main registered oil marketers in Kenya and Bamburi is currently working with Vivo Energy Kenya (Shell), Total, Ola, Galana, Kenol Kobil and National Oil Company.
Speaking during a sensitization workshop on Safe Waste Oil Disposal (SWOD) organized by the Petroleum Institute of East Africa (PIEA), Geocycle and Business Projects Director – Mr. Grant Ochieng’, said that Bamburi Cement entered into a broader contract with oil marketers through the Petroleum Institute of East Africa and launched the Safe Waste Oil Disposal initiative (SWOD) which is now fully operational and endorsed by the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA). Since inception of the program three years ago, Geocyle has collected and disposed over 1,500,000 litres of waste oil.
“We hope this initiative will assist in removing all the waste oil in the market, which somehow finds its way back as counterfeit and recycled products, which is harmful to the users and the environment.” Said Ochieng’.
The forum, brought together various players in the sector including Ministry of Petroleum and Mining, National Environment and Management Authority (NEMA), Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA), Oil Marketing Companies, Transporters and other stakeholders.
He added: “Bamburi Cement, through Geocycle, continues to tap into the expertise and knowledge within the LafargeHolcim Group by providing economical and environmentally sustainable solutions to the waste management challenge within Kenya. We aim to make waste oil collection easier, due to our efficiency, reliability, traceability and accountability in record keeping.”
Through Geocycle, Bamburi Cement Limited continues to provide sustainable Waste Management solutions to both the private and public sectors of Kenya’s economy by understanding the waste management challenges they face and customizing sustainable solutions to these challenges.
“We bring tried and tested best practices from the Geocycle and the LafargeHolcim Group in offering innovative solutions to waste management.” Concluded Ochieng’.