Household waste collection using two separate dustbins will begin in Hungary on 1 January 2015, Minister of State for Environmental Affairs Zoltán Illés announced on Tuesday at the foundation stone laying ceremony of Budafilter 94 Ltd's new plastic recycling plant in Mezőfalva, Central Transdanubia.
Mr. Illés stressed that a totally new waste management system has been and is continuing to be established in Hungary. The new two-bin waste collection system will be very similar to the one introduced in Poland. Household will be able to selectively collect waste using a "fool-proof system", he added.
The Minister of State explained that one bin would be for so-called wet waste such as garden waste, some of which will be recyclable. The other bin will be for dry waste (paper, plastic, clothing, glass), the contents of which will be transported to sorting centres and then sold for recycling.
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He also stated that non-recyclable waste may be processed to create high heat value fuel. The generation of one unit of energy from oil derivatives costs 10 forints, while a similar of energy can be generated from waste at a cost of only 0.5 forints, he added. Mr. Illés pointed out that the European Union has determined what percentage of household waste each member state must recycle during the upcoming years. The introduction of landfill contributions was necessary to meet increasing EU requirements, and the results is that waste management companies now prefer to recycle waste rather than deposit it in landfills, because the former can generate significant income for them, he emphasised. Companies that are incapable of operating their services in a non-profit manner can apply for compensation and development funding out of the contributions paid.
With regard to the recycling of plastic bottles, Mr. Illés pointed out that several billion PET bottles are manufactured in Hungary every year. These bottles are produced from oil derivatives and take over 400 years to degrade, he added.
The Minister of State said that the activities of the Mezőfalva company were important because instead of allowing waste to accumulate and pollute the atmosphere it turns PET bottles into various plastic components, fittings and parts. He expressed his appreciation of the fact that the new production hall would include machinery for turning plastic granulate into new PET bottles again.
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Fidesz-KDNP MP László L. Simon stressed that the Government is providing funding for the development project because it is innovative, will create jobs and will boost the rural economy. The activities of Budafilter are built on Hungarian inventiveness, Hungarian developments and Hungarian knowledge, he added.
Mr. L. Simon indicated that the company has submitted a tender to the National Waste Management Agency for the establishment of a plastic bottle collection system that will be capable of collecting quantities far in excess of the capacity of the plant, thus providing raw materials for other enterprises with a similar profile.
Managing Director of Budafilter Lajos Simon said that the laying of the foundation stone of the new production plant also meant the launching of the new collection system based on household bottle crushers, adding that the company has been involved in developing the bottle crushing machine for 12 years and used PET bottles are fully recycled.
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In reply to a question from Hungarian news agency MTI, he said that the company currently employs 22 people, but that this number would increase to sixty once the new production hall is completed.
According to press information handed out at the press conference, Budafilter 94 Ltd has received a total of HUF 100 million in funding within the framework of the Central Transdanubia Operative Programme towards its activities involving the collection and recycling of PET bottles and the development of its bottle crushing machine, which is based solely on Hungarian innovation. The new, HUF 205 million development project concerning the expansion of the company's production hall and the installation of a 2500 ton capacity bottle washing line, has already begun.
Budafilter 94 limited began the development of the system in 2002, the basis of which is the patented electric household crushing machine, which the company has already spent HUF 300 million of its own funds developing. Collected PET bottles are 100% recycled to manufacture strapping tape and injection-moulded products. The company pays 2 forints per bottle to people who send them crushed bottles by post at the expense of the enterprise.
The company's existing 1200 ton capacity recycling plant was inaugurated on 6 December 2012 with an investment of HUF 315 million. As a result of the investment project, the plant, which is heated (and cooled in summer) using thermal energy was fitted with a 600 ton capacity granulating line, a 600 ton capacity strapping tape production line and two injection moulding machines.
(MTI)
