From 18 to 20 November, Belgium will host the Hotspot of the circular economy. This is an opportunity to get to know some of the leading companies in Mons.
In the region of the heart of Hainaut, near Mons, some companies are pioneers in recycling and optimal use of resources in the industrial sector.
Comet Traitements, is a Belgian family company, active in the trade and recycling of metals and their derivatives (scrap metal, end-of-life vehicles, waste electrical and electronic equipment). Its Research department is constantly innovating. COMET, for example, converts shredder residue from metal waste into liquid fuels and carbon with a recovery rate of more than 97%! The sandy fraction extracted from shredder residues is also used in the manufacture of bituminous asphalt, replacing sea sand. This sandy fraction is used by the Wanty Group, a fine example of industrial symbiosis on a local scale.
The Enrobés du Centre, belonging to the Wanty Group, produce some 300 tonnes of asphalt per hour! Their waste recycling program allows up to 50% of recycled materials to be incorporated into the finished product.
HOLCIM collects industrial waste to substitute fossil fuels in the energy mix of cement plants. The Belgian cement sector is one of the European and world leaders in the substitution of cement components. Cement manufacturers are also efficient in concrete deconstruction and dismantling techniques, the main outlet for cement, making concrete fully recyclable and reusable at the end of its life.
