Within the EU Life Environment financing system, this year subsidies were granted to over one hundred projects promoting sustainable development by presenting new innovations and taking them into use. The receivers of the EU support included eight Finnish companies, among them also Paroc Group.
In Paroc, the funds will be used to improve the Waste Injection prototype in the factory in Oulu for continuous production use. Necessary alterations will be made on the prototype, followed by test runs in the course of which process parameters will be followed up and emissions into air measured.
The funds will also be used to build a full-scale equipment in Hässleholm factory, which is intended to be taken into use in spring 2003. As this technology can be applied to all stone wool manufacturing lines using coke-heated melting furnaces, the intention is in future to take the Waste Injection technology into use in all Paroc factories and also launch it through Paroc Jungers AB to other stone wool manufacturers.
By using this method over 50 % of all waste from stone wool manufacturing can be reused and the amount of stone used can be reduced by appr. 15%. In addition, the method cuts down sulphur and carbon dioxide emissions.
Life financial system
LIFE is a financial system for the environmental area founded in 1992 by a EU regulation. Its aim is to finance nature protection and environmental projects supporting environmental policy and legislation in the EU. The LIFE financing system includes the following areas: LIFE Nature (nature protection), LIFE Environment (environmental innovations), LIFE Third Countries and follow-up, evaluation and distribution of information on LIFE financing means. Every subarea in the LIFE financial system requires a separate application.
Additional information: Kirsti Karppinen, phone +358 204 55 6526. |
