Tomra has reiterated their commitment to closing the loop on PET beverage containers, but beyond that, recognises that there is more to be done.
“We have an obligation to work with all stakeholders to reduce the mountains of waste and transform them into the valuable resources they are,” stated Tove Andersen, CEO and president of Tomra, at the company’s press conference held at IFAT, a global trade fair for water, sewage, waste and raw material management.
Although there has been considerable progress in recycling, Tomra believes that the pandemic and the ongoing war in Europe have shown that there is an urgency to decrease dependency on primary materials.
Andersen continued: “Today, we invest approximately 10% of our revenues in future-oriented activities to increase resource efficiency, advancing the market for circular solutions, which we are well-positioned to do. We have the technology capable of maximising collection and recovery rates. We can act now, optimise waste management practices and fill existing gaps.”
Tom Eng, senior vice-president and head of Tomra Recycling, also commented on maximising material circularity for metals and wood: “We must pay equal attention to these recyclables to support reaching the EU’s climate neutrality goals set for 2050.”
In the case of waste wood, particleboard manufacturers are looking for a cost-effective and environmentally friendly way to source materials of which availability is currently limited and that with sky-rocketing prices. Using recycled materials in the production of wood-based or metal-based materials help producers to overcome these challenges while reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and resource depletion.
“If we leverage the power of intelligent technologies and closely work with the industry, we can turn waste into value and reduce the dependency on primary materials. Recycling is a key climate mitigator and energy-efficient route to go when supporting a sustainable transition, keeping materials in continuous use. Whatever it takes to close the loop, we will get there,” concluded Eng.
