Camel excrement, once considered waste destined for the landfill, is now mixed with coal to fuel cement production in Ras al-Khaimah, the northernmost emirate of the United Arab Emirates.
The government-run scheme is part of an ambitious plan to divert 75 percent of all waste from landfills by 2021.
Camel dung is plentiful in the emirate. Each camel produces eight to 15 kilograms of manure a day, and there are an estimated 10,000 camels in the emirate alone.
After being bagged up on farms, the excrement is taken to a nearby cement factory to blend with coal and power the plant's boiler.
The repurpose scheme financially benefits cement manufacturers, waste management agencies and farmers.
After some trial and error, the mix of one part dung to nine parts is now able to fuel a cement oven to burn at 1,400 degrees Celsius.
The factory has been using 50 tons of camel manure a day since May 2018.
Mohamed Ahmed Ali Ebrahim, general manager of Gulf Cement Company, said the idea of using camel manure for cement factories was never thought of before.
The mix also saves energy, replacing some imported coal for locally made camel dung.
The country now plans to boost camel dung collection and expand to other cement factories.
(Top image via VCG)
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Copyright © 2018 CGTN. Beijing ICP prepared NO.16065310-3
Copyright © 2018 CGTN. Beijing ICP prepared NO.16065310-3