Our municipality was selected for the waste mapping project under the "Circular Economy and New Growth Opportunities" component of the EU4Environment Programme. The RECP Centre experts cooperated efficiently with various municipal enterprises when conducted a survey on waste generation in their production facilities. I would like to emphasize the fact that our enterprises began to trust international projects and willingly join them. Some woodworking enterprises have already implemented a closed production cycle, where wood is used to produce door blocks, while the trimmings and residues are burned in solid fuel boilers for the heating needs. There is a powerful enterprise for the production of ceramic tiles on the territory of our municipality. It also has a closed cycle - the rejected goods are crushed and then added to the basic raw materials to make new products. All these enterprises and others, which produce significant amounts of waste joined the waste mapping project.
Cooperation with European specialists is very important for our municipality and we will be grateful for any proposal they will give us in the matter of handling and recycling waste, particularly plastic, textiles, glass, etc. The town of Slavuta in the vicinity is framed by forests. We want that industrial activities do not harm the environment, that construction of residential sectors does not prevail cutting down the forests, which are then burned for heat egeneration. We are committed to the preservation of natural wealth and we very much want to leave it in proper condition for our descendants.
Vasyl Sydor
Slavuta municipality, the Mayor
"Kyivguma, LLC" has been operating for more than 90 years and our product range enlists over 4000 items. We realize that waste generation is inevitable in our production, so the efficient use of energy and material resources has been the mainstream of our plant since its inception. If we do not solve the problem of waste disposal, in 3 months the entire plant will be clogged with them. In difficult economic times in Ukraine, many rubber waste recycling companies closed and our plant faced a big problem of where to sell them. We had to independently search for companies that would use our waste as a raw material or semi-finished product in their own production. And we managed to cope with this challenge, so now 100% of our waste is used by other companies in their production. We cannot use this waste ourselves, because 80% of our products are medical and pharmaceutical products, and a priori their production from recycled materials is not allowed.
Our cooperation with the RECP Centre impressed us greatly with its professional approach, and we were pleased with it. The Centre's experts drew out attention to seemingly simple things that had been beyond our recognition. Even despite the fact that our plant has recently been moved to a new building in the suburbs of Kyiv, which was built using the latest energy saving technologies, the experts who almost bypassed all corners of the plant, managed to find a dozen fairly practical, elaborated and specific options. In October-November 2021, we began implementing two of them. Yes, we do not expect millions of dollars in savings, but these measures do not require significant investments. We don't need co-financing or bank loans to implement them - we will do it at our own expense. The RECP Centre promised to organize specialized trainings for our specialists, and we really hope to get new knowledge, because, as life experience shows, training yields results, this strategy really works. Our expectations are high; we want to learn successful practices and implement such examples at our plant.
Volodymyr Kripkyi
Kyivguma, LLC., R&D director
"Garment production does not harm the environment in any way, because only those who melt steel or mine coal pollute it," that was my belief. However, in fact this is not true, because clothes are produced in large quantities and in excess, and then it is disposed of, which means that it affects the environment. The RECP Centre experts visited our factory, and they saw with their own eyes what we did not notice for years in our everyday life, although we were always convinced that we save electricity, gas, do sorting waste, etc. After the RECP assessment, the experts identified the ways to improve our production. Thanks to the action plan we had drawn up, we began to act. We did some things right away, and some of the activities were scheduled for later as they required investments for implementation. Our factory sells fashion - we make clothes that can be worn for decades, but fashion requires changes and we start making new coats, dresses, skirts, etc. to be in trend but it turned out that today’s trend is rather be energy efficient and care about the environment. Therefore, we reviewd our strategy and now prefer those fabrics that are easily recyclable after use (linen, cotton, etc.). We can sell leftover fabrics to make clothing for dolls - which is also a business and there is a demand for such clothing as well. This not only saves on recycling scraps, but also allows us to make money on the sale.
Myroslava Kalamuniak
Uzhgorodska garment factory, LLC., the Director
Once I joined the RECP Club, I realized how important it is to be ahead of time and how to change technological processes and working with people in order to prevent problems and challenges. Willingness alone is not enough to change your life; you also need the will. Only the combination of the two can produce make the goals get achieved.
I would like to thank the experts of the RECP Centre who came with a visit to my company. They are professionals in their business; they applied a substantive and systematic approach to solving specific problems at the enterprise and we all in one team achieved significant results.
The main challenges of our production are waste textile materials and rubber waste. After completing all the modules, I was lucky to find companies in Ukraine that produce small compact installations capable to recycle both types of waste (textiles and rubber). I plan to purchase one and launch the recycling process, so that in a year or maybe even earlier I will have almost a zero-waste production.
I was very pleased with the friendly atmosphere prevailing at the RECP Club in Khmelnytskyi.
Ihor Yavdosiuk
Chap-Chap, LLC., the Director
Our enterprise is large (over 400 employees), we manufacture shut-off valves, gas compressor units, gas turbine power plants, oil and gas equipment, pumps for nuclear power plants and the like. We have appropriate permits and certificates of conformity and thus, our products are exported to 40 countries. Our products satisfy customers' needs; we improve our technology, use resources rationally and as a result, reduce the negative impact on the environment. Regular monitoring, analysis and control over the consumption of resources helps us identify new options to save resources. We believe it is crucial that our company has chosen resource efficient and cleaner production as the priority in its development, and cooperation with the RECP Centre is another step that will help achieving our strategic goals.
The RECP Centre's experts focused on the RECP assessments of the thermal equipment operation in the forging shop and the compressed air system’s efficiency. The main RECP goals were to identify (1) the efficiency of gas consumption in thermal and preheating kilns, (2) unreasonable energy loss, and (3) identifying RECP options to enhance the overall resource efficiency.
Once the assessment was finalised, the experts suggested 2 RECP options, namely, replacing the lining and the arcs of furnaces #27 and #29 and then utilize the heat of the flue gases for HWS and space heating. Afterwards, the experts estimated the saving potential and payback period for both options illustrating that utilizing flue gases for further HWS and space heating arrangements can save up to UAH 2,5 million annually. Moreover, if we manage the leaks in external and internal networks of the compressed air system, and given that compressed air is the most valuable energy resource, this option will bring UAH 1 million savings per year. We are very grateful to the RECP Centre’s experts for their professional work, sharing experience and knowledge. We are looking forward to further cooperation.
Yuliia Laskava
SMNVO-Engineering, JSC., Leading Energy Manager
Our company previously had problems with heating, water treatment and water supply. Since we belong to the food industry, we spend a lot of water for washing. Moreover, the water has to be preheated. By now, we have already introduced the integrated use of two systems: solar collectors and electricity from the power grid. Their work is very effective and gives a very good economic effect, which we did not even hope for. In addition, thanks to this system, we heat the water for the needs of production, heating the office building and the production workshops (partially). Recently, we have decided to upgrade the integrated system. Energy costs (heating and water heating) as a result were reduced by more than 60%.
This year, the RECP Centre conducted monitoring at our company, which was the first stage of our cooperation with the Centre. Thanks to it, the places in the production processes, which can be further improved and which we need to pay attention to were identified. One of the Centre's recommendations allowed us reducing electricity consumption in household premises by more than 40% (in UAH equivalent). Our next plans with the RECP Centre are very global and I hope that 2021 will be the year of our fruitful cooperation, as we plan to move forward in 3 directions. 1. Using the heat from electric furnaces to heat the water (for recirculating heat) and for production needs (washing processes). 2. To reuse the water that we still discharge into the sewage system. 3. Start using waste packaging materials.
We have many ideas, thoughts and directions for our cooperation with the RECP Centre. I hope that together we can achieve the desired result, as today it is extremely important for business to consider all aspects and benefits of resource efficiency and cleaner production. Businesses need to earn more, and the share of their margins and resources in the cost of production is high today. Unfortunately, it will only increase in the future. Therefore, efficient use of resources will allow business and production to earn more, thus giving good chances for the company and its employees to develop. I am very grateful to the RECP Centre for the start of our cooperation.
Andrii Popadynets
LIGOS, LLC., Chief engineer
Our company PREMIUM STAR is the manufacturer of shoes. The higher the shoes quality is, the longer is their life cycle. Our investors and customers are European countries, so we have to meet not only the Ukrainian legislation requirements on environment and labour but also the requirements of our customers, which are usually much stricter than domestic regulations and laws. Our company is constantly improving production processes; we try to reduce production costs, the percentage of defective products, and waste generation. Firstly, it is economically feasible, secondly, it helps to meet the requirements of the investors/customers, and thirdly, it reduces the negative impact on the environment. Our company's priorities are reuse of materials, reduction of rejected products and industrial waste, efficient use of water and energy resources.
We started the cooperation with the RECP Centre hoping to get professional advice and consultation, and we did the right thing. Do you know the difference between a genius and an engineer? A genius knows everything, while an engineer knows where to look for the answers. That is why I believe that true engineers work at the Centre as they can really find everything and tell what and where to improve in the production process. Having analysed our production work over the past 3 years, the Centre granted us very useful recommendations.
First, it's waste management. The RECP Centre’s experts advised us how we can dispose waste leather and synthetic materials. The almost 10 tons of sorted waste collected by now will very soon become fillers for sports equipment. We have also been offered an option of using a pyrolysis boiler to safely incinerate other waste, but we are still considering this option. Secondly, the resource efficiency. The experts suggested to optimize the compressed air system and gave recommendations on how to improve the heating system operation.
Viktor Nemchunov
Premium Star, LLC., Health and Safety Engineer
For years, the College suffered heating system collapse. With outdoor temperature –5°С in winter, the indoor dropped down to +16-18°С that is 5 degrees lower standard rates +20-21°С. Moreover, these +16-18°С happed only due to reducing air ventilation what for sure caused worse microclimate inside the classrooms as the CO2 concentration rose critically up. The students felt bad, diseases cases enlarged, poor attention to the teacher speaking, etc. In spring and autumn vice versa. The inside temperature exceeded +24°С, and that was also bad for everybody. To compensate the heat, an air ventilation operated more intensively, and the energy bill became a burden for the College.
The RECPC experts (Resource Efficient and Cleaner Production Centre) provided a comprehensive technical energy audit in both the College facilities and the dormitory. The identified options to urgently conduct the modernization of the heating system became a must for the College staff. Thus, the Individual Heat Unit was installed. It was regulated according to weather temperate via Internet. Unbelievable, but the energy bill cut twice.
Larysa Spodynska
Kyiv electromechanic vocational college, the Director
Our plant is new – it was built in 2012. We were pretty sure our market position has been stable and favourable enough all these years. But we kept on asking ourselves one question “Why Chinese commodities are a way cheaper than ours?” We acknowledged that any foundry engineering involving aluminum had to be energy-intensive. When RECPC experts visited our plant to conduct a technical audit they shocked us with their calculations – aluminum waste amounted 48 tons per year. If the plant starts using its designed capacity the aluminum waste will get doubled. That fact worked as a driver for us and pushed us to start using aluminum alloys as RECPC experts had suggested in their technical proposal. We liked that idea a lot as it really gave us an opportunity to save the situation and get the commodities price drop down and become even cheaper than the Chinese products. And finally our plant got all chances to become more competitive and in high demand. I would like to express my gratitude to the RECP Center and hope for further fruitful cooperation
Serhii Syvolobov
DISLA Consortium, Deputy Director
Having analyzed our company operation process we came to a conclusion that actually we had been wasting lots of energy resources. To change the situation for the better we addressed the Resource Efficient and Cleaner Production Centre is July 2016 and started our cooperation. The RECPC experts inspected the facilities producing pilot lots of rubber goods. To my mind the comprehensive inspection resulted in a very interesting and effective technical solution that might allow reducing the amount of energy consumed by the extractors, thus achieving significant improvements in the non-stop processing line for rubber products vulcanization. So, having now 80 kW of electricity consumed per hour, we do hope to get double power reduction due to the solution implementation. I would like to sincerely wish the RECP Centre experts be always inspired and free to generate new ideas and innovative solutions
Vsevolod Yaremenko
State-owned company Elastik Research Institute, the Director
Our company has been cooperating with the RECP Center for two years. The Centre conducted measures on energy efficiency increase at the plant. The experts suggested reducing the amount of heat losses leaking out through the walls of a tunnel kiln. Our company, “Zaporozhogneupor” PJSC, followed the technical advice and implemented the elaborated solution. To be honest we were interested ourselves to check whether it was going to work effectively or not. Well, it worked perfectly, the implemented solutions gave impressive results. Thus, prior to modernization process the temperature on the outer kiln surface was 168°C, while afterwards – 89°C. This is a rather illustrative example depicting that the solutions elaborated and delivered by the RECP Center experts contribute to the saving of natural gas and other energy resources, as well as the saving of heat. I strongly advise energy audit process to all energy-intensive enterprises. It will for sure reveal many production drawbacks and further get them eliminated thanks to innovative technical solutions, which subsequently leads to a significant saving of fuel resources
Volodymyr Korovai
“Zaporozhogneupor”, PJSC
If anyone wants to be competitive in the market, he must minimize the unit costs. We started cooperation with the RECP Centre 2 years ago. The experts identified heat and energy loss in production process and offered practical recommendations where we could actually make resource saving. Due to these recommendations got implemented we managed to save more than 25% of electricity. In the nearest future we are thinking about upgrading the lining material, replacing gas burners, etc. To be honest we tend to start implementing zero cost measures requiring no investments – first top priority. Costlier but effective solutions are our second top priority. The plant is equipped with 6 gas kilns and we plan get them reconstructed in the future, thus expecting to get a significant reduction in heat losses and energy savings, accordingly
Petro Polishchuk
VLKZ PLANT, PJSC, Technical Department Head