Leading companies will demonstrate sustainable solutions for waste management on "Save the Planet" 2015
In the coming years South-East Europe will play an important part in reaching the common European goals for a resource-effective and environment-friendly economy. The countries from the Region have already started reforms for sustainable waste management, the success of which relies on adequate legislation, politics, and encouragement of social responsibility and the availability of modern technologies.
Whether they are EU members or not, programmes and funds offer financing opportunities. The present programming period 2014-2020 paves the way for increasing the investment activity of businesses and municipalities. A good example is the treaty between the European Commission and Bulgaria, which determines the optimal utilization of European structural and investment funds for an overall investment of 7,6 billion euro. Waste is, once again, among the priorities in the Operational Programme ‘Environment’ and Bulgaria will receive more funds in order to cope with the many challenges it faces.
The country needs more than 500 million euro in order to set up a more modern infrastructure for improving waste sorting, composting biological waste, recycling construction waste, closing down and recultivating landfills, acquiring new transporting vehicles. An enduring positive tendency was observed in Bulgaria during the period of 1999-2012 – the overall quantity of collected consumer waste in the country dropped by nearly 35%. Sustainable waste management is the focus of “Save the Planet” – an exhibition and conference for South-East Europe, which will be held by Via Expo on 11-13 March 2015, in Sofia.
The specialized event is the only one of its kind in Bulgaria and traditionally attracts companies and lectors from all over Europe. On the one hand, it creates a positive environment for debates, concerning legislation, strategies and policies, and on the other hand it introduces modern technologies and equipment.
Austria is a long-term partner of ‘Save the Planet’. For 6th year in a row, an Austrian Pavilion will be realized, including companies like KWS Krickl Waagen Systems, AUWA, IFE Aufbereitungstechnik, Komptech, EREMA and Starlinger & Co. They will introduce plastic recycling systems, well-proven technologies for mechanical-biological treatment of solid waste, biomass; conveyor and screening technologies, machines for processing bulky materials, board weighing and identification systems, etc.
Hitachi Zosen Inova and Weiss A/S will provide visitors with the opportunity to get acquainted with their latest achievements in waste-to-energy.
For the first time Helector from Greece will be among the exhibitors. The company, through its operations, treats over 600,000 tons of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) annually, while it undertakes the operation of landfill facilities with annual incoming capacity of 2 million tons of MSW annually. This serves the waste management needs of more than 5.5 million people. Dimitrios Grammatas, head of Construction Department at Helector, relates: “Through our participation in “Save the Planet” we wish to popularize our vast experience in the field of waste management, know-how, as well as the individual solutions we offer. We seek to build long-lasting partnerships with local authorities and solid waste management organizations.”
Among the traditional exhibitors is BalBok Engineering. Ralitsa Angelova specifies the focus of the company’s presentation: “Our main objective is collecting and treating fluorinated greenhouse gases and ozone-depleting substances. We will also popularize the activities of managing hazardous waste from Bulgarian production facilities, as well as our training services.”
From Ecorec Bulgaria we will witness waste-free technologies for energy utilization of waste. The company produces alternative fuels from sorted municipal and industrial waste materials and also offers solutions for out of use tires.
Profis BG will showcase a variety of containers for waste sorting and composting, hydraulic presses for baling, etc. Bratya Pashev Ltd. offers processing machines, installations for drying and dry-cleaning of plastic waste, extruders and granulators for plastic treatment, filtering technologies. The company is a partner of Vecoplan (Germany), MAS (Austria), STF Maschinen-und Anlagenbau GmbH (Germany) and others. In 2015 it will organize Doors Open Days in the area of recycling and effective utilization of different types of waste, which will popularize ways of producing valuable resources from processing discarded packaging.
The former European Commissioner for Environment Janez Potočnik describes nature as the perfect circle economy that should be our inspiration for the upcoming changes. A number of measures are provisioned for a transition to this development model.
The European Network of Environmental Professionals (ENEP) will dedicate a special session of the parallel conference to the circular economy. The main topics will be subsidies and incentives in the EU, recycling chain of waste electrical and electronic equipment, energy recovery of municipal solid waste, etc.
From the presentations of experts from the European Demolition Association (EDA) we will discover the latest solutions used in buildings demolition and the recycling of construction waste (C & DW).
Ton Emans from EuPR will make an overview of the treatment methods and new applications of plastic.
For more information: Via Expo – www.viaexpo.com
Parallel events: „Smart Cities” (intelligent cities), „Save the Life“ (disaster management and control), „ЕЕ and RЕ“ (energy efficiency and renewable energy)
