FORTUM CORPORATION ONLINE NEWS 2.5.2024
Fortum Recycling & Waste is investing 10 million euros to build a new state-of-the-art IBA (Incineration Bottom Ash) metal refinery for non-ferrous metals in Gävle, Sweden. The new plant, to be started up in the coming autumn, increases the recycling rate of metals, and thereby reduces the need for extraction of critical, virgin metal materials. Operating as a northernmost metal refinery in Europe, for non-ferrous metals, it will reduce the need to transport mixed metals longer distances for metal recycling. The shorter transportation and reduced extraction of virgin material result in reduced carbon dioxide emissions.
“At the new metal refinery for non-ferrous metals, we will for example recycle stainless steel, aluminum, copper and brass recovered from bottom ash from the waste to energy plants around the Nordics. Using magnets, eddy currents and sensor-based sorting machines, we can effectively sort, and separate different types of metals recovered from the bottom ash. The recycled metals are sent to the smelters to be used for new metal production," explains Toni Ahtiainen, Head of Business Line Ash & Slag at Fortum Recycling & Waste.
“By offering recycled metals for smelters, they are able to offer to the industry materials with a lower carbon footprint”, Toni continues.
There’re currently discussions on-going on EU level on how to secure the future need for critical metals and how to take the environmental aspect into account. Fortum Recycling & Waste’s new initiative supports the upcoming needs to secure recycled materials for the industry.
A new plant to be started up in the coming autumn
The new plant is being built up in the Stora Enso’s old facilities in the harbor of Norrsundet, in Gävle.
“The construction works of the new metal refinery started in the autumn 2023. In this project we have developed a facility with many innovative technical solutions to be able to achieve a high level of safety, a good working environment and an extremely high quality of the end products. Commissioning is scheduled for this autumn. We’re currently having a permit to recycle 10,000 tons of metals per year", tells Joakim Landström, Head of Operations Ash&Slag Sweden.
“At the next stage, we’ll apply for a new, larger permit of totally 80,000 tons per year”, he continues.
Recycling metals can provide major climate benefits compared to mining
Using recycled metals instead of virgin metals enables massive CO2 savings. For example, by using recycled aluminum, the savings are 10.6 CO2 equivalents per kilo of material*, compared to the virgin material which requires mining and production of new aluminum. This means that carbon dioxide emissions can be reduced by 96% comparing recycled aluminum with new aluminum production.
The new plant is one small step towards Fortum Recycling & Waste’s mission to lead the way towards revolution of materials by transforming waste streams back to essential raw materials. According to the Circularity Gap Report**, the global economy is currently only 7.2% circular. The global circularity of materials is steadily decreasing. In 2018, it was 9.1%. The world relies almost exclusively on new, virgin materials. This is a trend that needs to be changed as raw materials will become scarce in the future and the production of virgin materials is much more CO2 intensive than using recycled ones. Recycling is an important part of the circular economy and helps to preserve our natural resources and to lower CO2 emissions.
*Klimat - Återvinnings Industrierna (recycling.se)
**Circularity Gap Reporting Initiative - Home (circularity-gap.world)
Fortum Corporation
Communications
Further information:
Toni Ahtiainen, Head of Business Line Ash&Slag, Fortum Recycling & Waste, +358405777533, toni [dot] ahtiainen [at] fortum [dot] com (toni[dot]ahtiainen[at]fortum[dot]com)
Joakim Landström, Head of Operations Ash&Slag Sweden, Fortum Recycling & Waste, +46703757812, joakim [dot] landstrom [at] fortum [dot] com (joakim[dot]landstrom[at]fortum[dot]com)
Fortum Recycling & Waste
Fortum Recycling & Waste is Rethinking Recycling and leading the way towards revolution of materials. Solving problems is in our DNA and our mission is to transform waste streams back to essential raw materials. Our role is to find solutions for our customers’ environmental and waste challenges to enable circularity of materials.
Fortum Recycling & Waste operates in the Nordics and the UK, offering environmentally friendly waste management and hazardous waste treatment, as well as expert services for the operation and maintenance of energy facilities. Additionally, we provide recycling services for materials - including solutions for batteries, plastics, metals, as well as ash and slag residues. We employ approximately 1000 people.
Fortum
Fortum is a Nordic energy company. Our purpose is to power a world where people, businesses and nature thrive together. We are one of the cleanest energy producers in Europe and our actions are guided by our ambitious environmental targets. We generate and deliver clean energy reliably and help industries to decarbonise their processes and grow. Our core operations in the Nordics comprise of efficient, CO2-free power generation as well as reliable supply of electricity and district heat to private and business customers. For our ~5 000 employees, we commit to be a safe, and inspiring workplace. Fortum's share is listed on Nasdaq Helsinki. fortum.com