The agreement promotes the recycling of catalysts from Cepsa's Energy Parks, which Saint-Gobain Weber will use in the manufacture of industrial mortars for the construction sector
This initiative is part of Cepsa's commitment to increase the circularity of its operational waste by 50% by 2030, compared to 2019, in order to become a key player in the creation of new sustainable production models
The partnership drives the circular economy and, in particular, the 30% reduction in virgin raw material consumption that Saint-Gobain Weber has set as a target for 2030, as well as the 16% reduction in the carbon footprint of its products and solutions by 2030
Cepsa and Saint-Gobain Weber will make recycling 1,000 tons of waste annually a reality through a partnership to boost the circular economy. Specifically, catalysts that Cepsa uses in its Energy Parks will be recycled once exhausted. This waste will be used by Saint-Gobain Weber as raw material in the manufacture of mortars used in various technical applications, such as installing and grouting ceramic tiles and cladding and rehabilitating facades in the construction sector.
In the project’s first tests, both companies already recycled more than 55 tons of waste. Catalysts are substances used in industrial processes that, after several uses, lose their effectiveness and must be replaced. As a result of the partnership with Saint-Gobain Weber, these catalysts, which until now did not have a second life, can be recycled and transformed into mortars for professional uses, promoting the circular economy in line with both companies’ sustainability objectives.
“Our ambition is to become a reference in the circular economy by implementing a new sustainable consumption model that minimizes the use of virgin raw materials and maximizes the use of waste, giving it a second life. At Cepsa, we seek industrial symbiosis through synergies and partnerships such as the one we have created with Saint-Gobain Weber. Through initiatives such as this one, and together with our industrial capacity and technical knowledge, we will develop more sustainable solutions that will allow us to advance in circular economy actions, which is a fundamental lever for the energy transition”.
Mar Perrote - Cepsa's Corporate Director of Safety, Environmental Protection and Quality
For his part, Jaime de Luis, IRP & Sustainability coordinator at Saint-Gobain Weber, said: "The circular economy is a powerful lever of change that makes us design low-carbon footprint solutions for our customers to decarbonize the construction sector and, therefore, the built environment. Partnerships of this kind with well-known companies such as Cepsa make us more sustainable and help us take a leading position in sustainable construction".
Strengthening the commitment to the circular economy
Cepsa recently announced its ambitious commitments to the circular economy by 2030, advancing its 'Positive Motion' strategy to become a leader in sustainable mobility in Spain and Portugal and a benchmark in the energy transition. The company is committed to increasing the circularity of waste from its operations by 50% by 2030 (compared to 2019), which will involve minimizing, recycling, and recovering 8,000 tons at its major industrial sites in Andalusia.
This new commitment by Cepsa is one of the most ambitious in the energy sector, which the company will promote by using new technologies, implementing projects for waste co-processing, and identifying synergies with other companies to promote industrial symbiosis.
The company will also progressively replace raw fossil materials with renewable and recycled sources. Cepsa is committed to increasing the share of renewable and circular raw materials in its Energy Parks to 15% by 2030. This will involve using 2.8 million tons of raw materials in the current decade, of which 75% will be second-generation (2G) and other waste that would otherwise be discarded.
Using Cepsa catalysts as circular raw materials allows Saint-Gobain Weber to design products and solutions with a low carbon footprint and reduce the consumption of virgin raw materials while preserving natural resources. In other words, to make eco-design and circular economy the company's flags of identity to help our customers reduce their carbon footprint. The goal is to use 30% of the materials used in manufacturing its products and solutions from circular sources and to reduce CO2 emissions from the materials used in manufacturing mortars by 16%.
