What can be made of the recycled packaging collected in Estonia?
Recycling packaging helps to protect the nature and increases the efficiency of manufacturing. The raw material from collected and sorted packaging is becoming ever more important on the international level.
Recycled packaging forms a significant amount of the raw material used by several Estonian manufacturing companies as well.
One of the largest recyclers of GLASS is AS O-I Production Estonia (formerly known as AS Järvakandi Klaas) in Järvakandi. They use crushed and sorted glass packaging for making new bottles and jars.
The Räpina Paper Factory is a great recycler of CARDBOARD, making edge protectors for protecting goods and other products of collected packaging and scrap paper. The Räpina Paper Factory is the largest company in Scandinavia in its market segment.
There are several recyclers of PLASTIC. For example, Dagöplast in Hiiumaa uses recycled plastic to manufacture plastic bags. Neular in Mäo makes terrace planks, noise insulation walls, flowerpots, and various garden accessories. ATK Invest has found an interesting niche, using plastic material from old cars to manufacture roofing for residential buildings. Wendre in Pärnu uses recycled plastic materials in the production of mattresses, pillows, and other textile products.
Several Estonian factories also make granules and fibre materials out of plastic waste. These factories mainly export their production.
By sorting used packaging into separate containers, we will direct them into a new circle of consumption, which is beneficial for our daily living environment.