According to mexicobusiness.news, Mexico’s cement industry is increasingly turning to tire-derived fuel, or TDF, to power clinker production. The Secretariat of the Environment, Sedema, has launched programs to recover waste tires from illegal dumps and channel them into cement manufacturing as an alternative energy source.
More than 5,600 tires have been collected from districts including Xochimilco and Gustavo Madero and moved to treatment plants in cooperation with Geocycle Mexico. The effort targets public spaces and environmentally sensitive areas where abandoned tires can pose a fire risk and create persistent pollution problems.
The initiative is set to expand under the Reciclatrón Program, which aims to broaden waste-management options and divert more material from open dumps and landfills. Major cement producers are already on board: CEMEX is using tires as supplemental fuel at facilities in Ensenada, Hermosillo, Monterrey, and Colima, and Cementos Apasco and Cementos de Chihuahua are also burning TDF.
Tire-derived fuel brings clear operational advantages for cement makers. Its high calorific value suits the energy-intensive clinker process, allowing plants to reduce reliance on coal and other fossil fuels. Companies report lower carbon intensity and cost savings when TDF replaces part of traditional fuel mixes.
There are limits to how much tire material can be used, however. High zinc content in tires constrains TDF blends, so usage typically ranges from 5 to 30 percent of total fuel in a plant’s energy mix. That constraint shapes how plants integrate TDF into existing kiln operations and emissions controls.
This move in Mexico mirrors a broader Latin American trend. Across the region, growing industrial demand, improving waste-management infrastructure, and government policies are encouraging greater use of alternative fuels in heavy industry. The shift also reflects a circular economy approach, repurposing problematic waste to meet industrial energy needs while reducing environmental impact.
From a tire industry perspective, TDF is a practical reuse pathway for end-of-life tires when collection and processing are done properly. If scaled carefully, the practice can help tackle illegal dumping, lower fuel costs for cement makers, and provide a meaningful way to reduce the environmental footprint of a very energy-intensive sector.
