Sweden's Minister for Climate and Environment, Romina Pourmokhtari, and her colleague, Estonia’s Minister for Climate, Yoko Alender, recently visited the Ragn-Sells Högbytorp facility in Greater Stockholm to learn more about how the waste management and secondary materials recovery major Ragn-Sells is driving the transition to a circular economy through solutions that reduce environmental and climate impact.
The visit highlighted innovations that contribute to increasing the circular transition.
Among other things, the ministers gained insight into Ragn-Sells’ circular solutions for recycling flat glass, metals from bottom ash sorting, oil regeneration, and information about the demonstration plant that Ragn-Sells is building in Narva, Estonia, for the conversion of oil shale ash and carbon dioxide to calcium carbonate.
Susanna Lind, Head of Public Affairs and Government Relations at Ragn-Sells Sweden, together with other company representatives, explained how Ragn-Sells is driving the transition towards a more sustainable future.
Recycling – a sustainable source of raw materials
The ministers also got a tour of the facility, where Ragn-Sells shared various circular solutions that convert waste into clean raw materials so that they can be used over and over – for instance, bottom ash and slag from thermal energy facilities contain metals that can be sorted out and recycled.
The state-of-the-art Ash2Salt facility in Högbytorp recycles approximately half of all fly ash generated from waste-to-energy plants in Sweden.
Through unique technology, the fly ash is transformed from a hazardous residue into valuable commercial salts used to combat icy roads or in mineral fertilizers, among other things.
Solvent Recovery Solutions is a solvent recycling and treatment facility with the capacity to treat up to 20,000 tonnes of solvents per year. By recycling and reusing solvents, carbon savings of up to 92 percent can be achieved.
If we are serious about creating a sustainable society, we must use the resources we already have – over and over again. This is why we are very happy with the visit and the positive feedback we received from the delegation, said Susanna Lind.
Ragn-Sell’s innovative solutions, such as the Ash2Salt facility and the new solvent recycling plant, are important contributions to sustainable resource recovery and reduced climate impact.
This visit confirms that we are on the right track in our work for a circular transition. However, this requires a completely new view of waste, where waste is seen as a source of sustainable raw materials. The industry needs long-term political conditions and a high rate of reform so that we can invest in new circular business models, concluded Susanna Lind.
