French connection for Hitachi
Fleet of Hitachi machines plays a key role in reducing environmental impact in French concrete sector
VILLEPARISIS-based Clemens SA specialize in recycling concrete sludge (industrial waste from concrete plant) and owner Philippe Clamens is constantly looking at ways of making processing more environmentally friendly.
The company handles around 800,000 tonnes of building materials annually – 500,000 tonnes of which is concrete and 300,000 tonnes is concrete sludge. The concrete is crushed by a Hitachi ZX350LC-3 excavator to separate it from metals (eg iron), which is resold. Concrete blocks are also crushed into aggregates, which, in turn, are transported to on-site stockpiles by a ZW310 wheel loader and sold for use in road paving and construction.
Concrete sludge is filtered and cleaned so that the sand and gravel can be sorted into different stockpiles. It is then sold for road construction or reused to produce concrete. According to Clemens, this process uses more carbon dioxide than it creates, giving the recycled materials a ‘zero-carbon’ quality.
The water used to clean the sand and gravel from the concrete sludge has a high pH level of 11. In order to reduce this to pH8.5, so that the water can be reused on site, the company adds carbon dioxide. Approximately, 5kg of carbon dioxide is required for every tonne of recycled material produced.
Clamens have been a Hitcachi customer since 2005 and other models purchased include an EX135, ZW250 and ZW310, all operating at other locations owned by the company.
VILLEPARISIS-based Clemens SA specialize in recycling concrete sludge (industrial waste from concrete plant) and owner Philippe Clamens is constantly looking at ways of making processing more environmentally friendly.
The company handles around 800,000 tonnes of building materials annually – 500,000 tonnes of which is concrete and 300,000 tonnes is concrete sludge. The concrete is crushed by a Hitachi ZX350LC-3 excavator to separate it from metals (eg iron), which is resold. Concrete blocks are also crushed into aggregates, which, in turn, are transported to on-site stockpiles by a ZW310 wheel loader and sold for use in road paving and construction.
Concrete sludge is filtered and cleaned so that the sand and gravel can be sorted into different stockpiles. It is then sold for road construction or reused to produce concrete. According to Clemens, this process uses more carbon dioxide than it creates, giving the recycled materials a ‘zero-carbon’ quality.
The water used to clean the sand and gravel from the concrete sludge has a high pH level of 11. In order to reduce this to pH8.5, so that the water can be reused on site, the company adds carbon dioxide. Approximately, 5kg of carbon dioxide is required for every tonne of recycled material produced.
Clamens have been a Hitcachi customer since 2005 and other models purchased include an EX135, ZW250 and ZW310, all operating at other locations owned by the company.
