Taking into account the goals of climate neutrality and the “Green Deal” set by the European Union (EU), the role of waste recycling will significantly increase in its member states in the coming years. While the leading countries of the EU – Germany, Slovenia, Austria, the Netherlands, etc. – is able to recycle an average of 65% of generated waste, Latvia reaches less than 50%*.
Jānis Irbe, parliamentary secretary of the Ministry of Climate and Energy: “In the implementation of circular economy principles, first of all, we are talking about the production of high-quality and long-lasting goods. Secondly, also about the use of raw materials obtained in the waste recycling process in its production. The circular economy model for the economy comes with challenges, but also opportunities to turn waste into raw materials that are in demand in the market. In the circular economy, the product’s harm to the environment and also to human health is reduced throughout the product’s life cycle – from the extraction of raw materials to production, packaging and transportation, all the way to the consumer. Not forgetting about waste recycling. The new production plant is a vivid example of how to turn waste into a valuable resource in the circular economy. The circular economy must become the basis of the European economy.”
Continuing to expand the full-cycle circulation of waste in Latvia and beyond, the PET bottle recycling company “ITERUM” of the largest environmental resource management and recycling company group in the Baltics “Eco Baltia” opens a new factory in Olaine. The newly opened factory will be one of the largest and most modern PET processing plants in Northern Europe and one of the largest industrial buildings in Latvia, with a total indoor area of approximately 30,000 square meters and an outdoor area of approximately 40,000 square meters.
