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Al Khalij Cement Company (AKCC) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Qatar’s Public Works Authority Ashghal to recycle sludge generated by the Authority’s wastewater treatment plants, parent Qatar Investors Group said in a stock exchange statement.
Under the agreement, sludge produced by Ashghal’s wastewater treatment facilities will be processed and used as an alternative fuel in cement production at AKCC, the statement said.
Between 744,000 tonnes and 1.29 million tonnes of sludge will be converted into alternative fuel over a five-year period, it noted.
Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al Meer, President of Ashghal, said the partnership supports the authority’s approach to environmental sustainability and the circular economy. He said treated water is reused for irrigation and cooling, while solid by-products such as sludge will be utilised as fuel catalysts and inputs in cement manufacturing.
Ashghal said the use of sludge-derived fuel will reduce natural gas consumption in industrial processes, improve waste management efficiency, and lower greenhouse gas emissions by avoiding landfill disposal and transportation.
AKCC estimated that the use of alternative fuels under the agreement will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by around 40,000 tonnes.
Ashghal currently recycles 98 percent of treated wastewater. By the end of 2025, total treated wastewater production had reached about 3.5 billion cubic metres. Of this volume, around 31 percent is used for fodder cultivation, 32 percent for afforestation and landscaping projects, and 14 percent is stored in artificial lakes for seasonal use.
The Authority said the MoU aligns with Qatar National Vision 2030 and the National Environment and Climate Change Strategy.
(Writing by Dennis Daniel; Editing by Anoop Menon)
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