The cement industry is a major polluter of greenhouse gases, and AS Kunda Nordic Tsement will in a €3.4 million project cut its CO2-emissions through enabling its plant to use waste for energy production.
AS Kunda Nordic Tsement (KNT) is applying a grant from Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway to its waste combustion project in Kunda. The company went ahead with its project to incinerate waste for energy production in mid-May, following the signing of the project's grant agreement in Tallinn on 12 May.
Until March 2010, the Estonian company will contribute to a reduction of pollution from its plant in Kunda, by recycling waste and decreasing the plant`s use of oil-shale as a source of energy. Following the investment of some 54 million EEK in technology, waste from Kunda and the town`s surrounding region will be burnt in the cement kilns instead of traditional fuels. According to Meelis Einstein, Purchasing Manager at Kunda Nordic Tsement, the company aims to replace 25 percent of the present fuels with waste materials by 2011.
The cement industry is a major polluter of greenhouse gases, contributing about five percent to man-made CO2 emissions. In Estonia the cement production is heavily dependant on the combustion of oil shale, a low grade fuel known for its polluting properties both with regard to extraction and processing. In addition, most waste is still placed in landfills in Estonia.
The project at the Kunda plant is in line with both national and EU waste strategies, and holds strong backing in the Estonian Ministry of Environment. At the signing of the grant agreement, Chancellor Annika Uudelepp of the Ministry of Environment commended KNT for their innovative project. "It is only with the help of environment-friendly companies like Kunda Nordic Tsement and its partners that innovation comes about. Estonia is only at the starting phase of using waste for energy. KNT with its unique kilns makes a great contribution to the promotion of this idea", Uudelepp said.
Kunda Mayor Allar Aron congratulated KNT for being among the nine environmental projects approved for an EEA Grant. "Considering the increasing amount of waste produced, the KNT project is more than welcome", he said and wished the company good luck with their project.