Sustainable energy and circular economy: Weiz relies on altar page oil

Sustainable energy and circular economy: Weiz relies on altar page oil

In Austria it shows how different waste can be converted into valuable resources. In particular, innovative companies rely on sustainable practices to protect the environment and at the same time create new economic perspectives. These approaches to the circular economy are not only clever, but could also lead to a significant change in different industrial branches.

A remarkable example is the Styrian organic industry company Münzer, which, in cooperation with the city of Weiz, plans to transform 50,000 to 70,000 liters of old page oil into district heating annually. This initiative will be of great importance for around 900 objects in the region. Münzer takes care of the collection of the oil, while the district heating of Weiz ensures low emission combustion. According to coin spokesman Harald Sigl, this measure aims to make the existing fossil infrastructure more environmentally friendly. "Because that saves our partner: costs and makes you flexible - if necessary, you can help out with fossil energy," adds Sigl.

Sustainable alternatives in everyday life

Another company that thinks sustainably is Naku, founded by Johann and Ute Zimmermann. Their goal is to produce compostable bioplastics from sugar and strength. Zimmermann emphasizes that the production of renewable materials is not only more environmentally friendly, but can also make harmful microplastics disappear from the scene. The demand for its products, including plastic cards from corn starch, shows how important the switch to sustainable raw materials is. In Austria, around 70 million plastic cards are produced annually, which offers significant savings potential.

Niko Bogianzidis has also taken an important step towards the circular economy with his startup ÖKLO. With his idea of ​​offering biodegradable toilets, he shows how waste can be used sensibly. From human waste, it produces valuable raw materials such as fertilizers and biogas. His company has already set up 800 of these environmentally friendly toilets, and with a planned expansion in Vienna, he would like to do more in waste management.

A particularly impressive example of circular management produces the Montanwerke Brixlegg, which reinvented themselves as copper recyclers after Austria's copper mines closed 100 years ago. In the last reporting, they produced over 100,000 tons of copper cathodes. This recycling process saves astonishing 85 percent of energy compared to the newly gained resource. Volker Pawlitzki, commercial board, emphasizes that recycling not only offers ecological but also economic advantages and protects resource use.

Innovative approaches in the construction industry and textile production

In the construction industry, the Kraisbau project aims to develop sustainable solutions by focusing on reusable building parts. This lead project is supported by the Federal Ministry of Climate Protection and combines 32 construction companies to identify potential savings and to optimize the recyclability of building materials.

The textile manufacturer Lenzing in Upper Austria managed to establish itself as the most sustainable company in Austria by producing fabrics from wood fibers. Lenzing pursues a unique Lyocell production process that recovered over 99 percent of the solvent used. In addition, the company uses the use of old textiles to further optimize its own resource use.

The Brantner Group based in Krems on the Danube uses artificial intelligence to revolutionize the recycling process in waste management. With a AI-controlled interference scanner, the company recognizes different materials in real time, which significantly increases the efficiency and precision of the recycling.

These initiatives show that many companies have recognized the signs of the times in Austria and that innovative approaches to waste recycling and resource use are developing. From the recycling of old page oil to sustainable textiles, these companies set new standards for a sustainable economy that works in accordance with the natural resources of our planet. It remains exciting to see which further projects and developments in the circular economy will come to us in the coming years.