How Ekofrisa uses waste crisis to their advantage
Published on 09 October 2020
Lithuania
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About this good practice
The company had a problem of big amounts of waste that was a permanent by-product of groats processing. There were two types of waste arising from the groats processing: stones and grasses – at the time of reception; impurities, inedible husks, and hulls that should be separated aside during the whole processing at each cleaning stage. Before taking new experiments and innovative actions this waste has been perceived as trash and now it is a valuable resource through the exploitation of valuable compounds present within.
At the beginning of 2019, the “Ekofrisa” started an experimental project collaboratively with Kaunas Vytautas Magnus University in order to develop an automated buckwheat processing line that will allow to increase the quality of production and improve the separation of waste. Also, together with the university Ekofrisa is developing a buckwheat husk steam boiler technology that would reuse waste as heating material. Moreover, they initiated an experiment with Kaunas Botanical garden in order to test whether their waste could be a valuable asset at plant industry.
These innovative projects were initiated by “Ekofrisa” to ‘close the circular economy loop’ by using unused waste for building heating and returning agri-food waste back to agricultural soil. This could help to diminish infrastructure maintenance costs to a minimum, release additional products to the markets, supply local farmers, and SMEs with new sustainable products.
At the beginning of 2019, the “Ekofrisa” started an experimental project collaboratively with Kaunas Vytautas Magnus University in order to develop an automated buckwheat processing line that will allow to increase the quality of production and improve the separation of waste. Also, together with the university Ekofrisa is developing a buckwheat husk steam boiler technology that would reuse waste as heating material. Moreover, they initiated an experiment with Kaunas Botanical garden in order to test whether their waste could be a valuable asset at plant industry.
These innovative projects were initiated by “Ekofrisa” to ‘close the circular economy loop’ by using unused waste for building heating and returning agri-food waste back to agricultural soil. This could help to diminish infrastructure maintenance costs to a minimum, release additional products to the markets, supply local farmers, and SMEs with new sustainable products.
Resources needed
Experimental stage ~ 50 000 Eur
Business adaptation ~ 300 000-500 000 Eur
Business adaptation ~ 300 000-500 000 Eur
Evidence of success
• Decreases of waste to a minimum
• Achieving of circular economy
• Increased business resilience by releasing new innovative products, and creating new clients and customers: Ekofrisa has been a pretty well-known name in the food sector market, but after implementing circular economy methods they started to work with new clients as they started to produce pillows and mattresses that are filled with hulls. Also, Ekofrisa started to sell their waste to farmers who use it to feed their animals
• Achieving of circular economy
• Increased business resilience by releasing new innovative products, and creating new clients and customers: Ekofrisa has been a pretty well-known name in the food sector market, but after implementing circular economy methods they started to work with new clients as they started to produce pillows and mattresses that are filled with hulls. Also, Ekofrisa started to sell their waste to farmers who use it to feed their animals
Potential for learning or transfer
The main aspects that should be taken into account while implementing similar practices are the close cooperation with local partners allowed them to seek for other sustainability goals and effectively implement circular economy methods. Ekofrisa stressed the importance of triple-helix cooperation: the idea and offer to initiate a new innovation project emerged after the execution of a digital audit that was made by experts from Lithuanian Innovation Center. Also, cooperation with scientific institutions was inevitable while developing transformative ideas and innovations. Finally, financing for the company was granted from innovation funds which are administrated by the Ministry of Economy and Innovation.
Further information
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Good practice owner
You can contact the good practice owner below for more detailed information.
Organisation
Ekofrisa
Lithuania
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