With an investment of almost EUR 1.5 million, Ekobazė will be able to recycle twice as much glass
Ekobazė UAB, a waste management service provider, has installed the most modern equipment for recycling glass packaging waste in the Baltic States, at a cost of almost EUR 1.5 million. The new technology will allow the company to recycle twice as much glass waste, use half as much electricity during the recycling process and reduce fuel consumption. The company’s annual turnover is expected to increase by around 5 per cent as a result of this technological solution alone.
“The modernisation of the glass cullet production line installed at Ekobazė in 2020 and the purchase of new high-tech sorting machines, conveyors, compressors and other equipment parts are the result of an international project, which was partly financed by the state budget of the Republic of Lithuania and EUR 0.4 million from the Norwegian Financial Mechanism.
“Investments in innovative technological solutions will not only make Ekobazė’s operations more efficient, but will also significantly support the implementation of the EU’s Green Deal objectives – contributing to the fight against climate change and reducing CO2 emissions from raw material production. We are delighted to be continuing our strategy of sustainable solutions with new projects and thus contributing to a cleaner future for the planet. In addition, our customers will also benefit greatly from receiving sorted, ultra-clean glass, and we will be able to complete orders in a much shorter time,” says Marina Curko-Notkuvienė, Commercial Manager at Ekobazė.
The upgraded equipment for recycling waste glass packaging will increase Ekobazė’s productivity by 30% and allow it to produce twice as much product. The modernisation of the production line will increase the annual volume of recycled glass from the current 9,600 to 20,000 tonnes, while the electricity consumption per tonne of production will now be halved to just 39.09 kW. Air pollution and fuel consumption will also be reduced, with almost 1 litre of fuel saved per tonne.
“Ekobazė recycles all types of glass packaging, window and car glass from industrial plants, sorting containers, large-sized waste collection sites and the construction waste stream. The recycled products are then exported to factories in Poland and Ukraine.
“Glass can be recycled an unlimited number of times. In addition, glass replaces natural resources such as sand or other minerals. The raw glass material we produce is used to make new glass products: window glass, bottles, glass packaging, glass wool and many other products,” says Marina Curko-Notkuvienė.
The modernised equipment will also allow the production of high-quality, clear, green and brown glass, the separation of impurities in ceramics, porcelain and stones, and a reduction in the amount of dust released into the environment from recycled glass.
The Norwegian company Nofir has been selected as a partner in the project, as it has a long experience in sustainable solutions, pollution reduction and environmental waste disposal. Examples of good practice, as well as consultations on technologies to reduce energy consumption and waste disposal problems were shared with the company. The cooperation between the companies will continue after the end of the project.
The project “Implementation of Environmentally Friendly Technologies in UAB Ekobazė” (No. LT07-1-EIM-K04-006) was partly financed by the EEA and Norway Grants 2014-2021 under the Business Development, Innovation and SMEs Programme. Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein contribute to reducing socio-economic disparities in Europe through EEA funds. The objective of the measure is to increase the competitiveness of Lithuanian companies in the field of green industrial innovation, including the bio-economy, as well as to reduce economic and social disparities in the European Economic Area and to strengthen the bilateral relations between the member countries of the European Free Trade Association and the 15 EU countries in Central and South-Eastern Europe and the Baltic States.
About Ekobazė UAB
Ekobazė UAB, which has been operating on the market for more than 16 years, is one of the largest waste management and recycling companies in Lithuania, dealing with the management of secondary raw materials, industrial, construction and bulky waste, hazardous waste collection, recycling and the supply of newly prepared raw materials such as recycled waste paper, glass, plastics, wood and rubber pellets to recyclers in Lithuania and abroad. The company aims to expand in the Latvian market, to contribute to the green course pursued by Lithuania and the European Union to collect and recycle glass waste, to reduce the impact on the environment and to contribute to stopping climate change by reducing CO2 emissions in the production process.
