03.10.2007, 09:00
Recovery of waste oil to produce raw material for the lubricants industry is increasing significantly in Finland. Ekokem and L&T Recoil have entered into a five-year agreement based on which waste lubricant oils generated from motor vehicles in Finland will be processed and returned to the lubricants industry as base oil. Processing will take place at L&T Recoil’s regeneration plant in Hamina to be completed next year.
The amount of waste oil suited for regeneration generated in Finland every year amounts to some 30 000 tons. Based on assignment by the Ministry of the Environment, Ekokem is in charge of administration and control of waste oil collection and delivery of collected waste oils for appropriate processing.
- As a result of the agreement, a major share of all waste oil suited for regeneration will be delivered to our plant. This will cover about half of the raw material requirement of the plant, says Kai Löfgren, Managing Director, L&T Recoil.
Based on the utilisation hierarchy as defined in the EU Waste Strategy, regeneration of waste oils in Hamina to produce basic lubricants is categorised as top level utilisation, i.e. recovery of waste for purposes equal to reuse. Regeneration of waste oils at L&T Recoil’s plant will significantly improve the level of waste oil recovery in Finland.
- So far, waste oils have mainly been utilised as energy. Thanks to this new collaboration arrangement, Finland will reach its national target in terms of waste oil recovery as material. Finland will now become one of the leading countries in Europe measured by regeneration level, as waste oils can be recovered in the form of industrial raw material, says Matti Vattulainen, Ekokem\'s Technical Director.
Upon completion, L&T Recoil’s production plant will be the only regeneration plant for waste lubricant oils in Finland.
Additional information:
Matti Vattulainen, Ekokem Oy Ab, tel. +358 10 7551 223 or +358 50 60 022 (www.ekokem.fi)
Kai Löfgren, L&T Recoil Oy, tel. +358 10 636 5618 or +358 40 570 7016 (www.lt-recoil.com)