From food production to glass wool production
About this good practice
• The food production company, HK Scan, is a Nordic meat and meals company. One of its factories is located in Forssa Finland. All the bio-based waste and by-products are transferred to Envor Goup for input for biogas.
• The biogas production company, Envor Group Oy, produces biogas and biofuels from bio-waste and sludge. Envor Group is family owned company.
• The glass wool production company, Saint Gobain Finland Oy, substitute propane by biogas. The majority of the biogas is used as energy for the manufacturing process of glass wool insulation at Saint Gobain Finland Oy.
Because of close connections between Envor Group and SaintGobain there were interest to build a pipe between companies. The pipe enables SaintGobain to use biogas as a substitute to propane, which is opportunity to achieve environmental benefits regarding to CO2 emissions. The importance of the symbiosis is significant regionally as it reduces the need for exported fossil energy and fuel.
Video of the Forssa symbiosis: https://youtu.be/KoMfdG1LBUw
Expert opinion
The practice is an inspiring example of industrial symbiosis (IS) with a notable regional impact. The symbiosis is formed between companies from different sectors and generates secondary materials. This practice demonstrates the environmental and economic benefits of IS synergies. It could be useful for regions willing to step up efforts in IS development with focus on planning of regional industrial sites. The proximity of the companies enables an optimized way to transfer secondary resources from one to the other, also by building infrastructure for exchange of resources. As part of their responsibilities with regards to land-use planning, municipalities in Finland are taking steps to reserve areas large enough for operation of these types of companies. This is a remarkable action of the municipalities in Forssa and an inspiring example for other regions. The role of land-use planning in the region as an enabling factor for IS development is to be highlighted as well. The ability of the public sector to support material recycling by adopting policies to reduce the amount of waste in landfills and organising collection of various separated materials creates supportive attitude for this type of activities. The idea, approach, way of cooperation, results and lessons can therefore serve as a model for other regions with similar ambitions.
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Further information
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Good practice owner
You can contact the good practice owner below for more detailed information.
Envor Group Ltd.