Stena-Innovation turns complex waste into a resource

Certain materials left over from vehicle recycling, manufacturing and municipal recycling centers were previously so complicated to recycle that they were sent for landfill. A new process, developed by Stena Recycling, increases the recycling rate by extracting materials and turning the remnants into energy-rich fuel pellets.

- We have developed a separation process that allows the metal and plastic content to be recycled, while the residual material becomes quality-assured, energy-rich ProFuel pellets, says Johan Tegbring, Operational Manager Production at Stena Recycling.

Tested in the concrete industry

ProFuel can be used in energy-intensive industries or to produce district heating and electricity. Testing is being carried out at Heidelberg Cement's production facility in Slite, on the Swedish island of Gotland. This could become a significant part of their sustainability efforts - as waste and bio-based fuels are being sought as alternatives to coal.

- By 2030, we are seeking to make our concrete products climate neutral during their lifecycle. This waste-derived fuel from Stena Recycling is helping us to achieve our goal, says Anders Jansson, Marketing Director at Heidelberg Cement Miljö.

Moving up the waste hierarchy

95% of a car can now be recycled, including the mix of left over material, called Shredder Light Fraction (SLF), which can be turned into heating pellets.

- This is a great example of how we move material up the waste hierarchy and create new benefits for the companies and local authorities that we work with, says Johan Tegbring.

This technically advanced recycling process has been installed at the Stena Nordic Recycling Center in Halmstad and Stena Recycling in Grenå.