A change of perspective can open up new possibilities: nowadays, even waste that is not suitable for material recovery, is not considered as a burden any more, but as a valuable resource for the production of energy. Therefore the corresponding waste hierarchy in the German Law on Life-Cycle Management also takes into account the energetic recovery of waste, with the objective of saving primary energy sources such as oil or natural gas and reduce the production of CO2. That is why many energy-intensive industries today favour waste-based fuels (mostly refuse-derived fuels and household-like waste) as energy sources, which contribute to an economical and sustainable supply of these businesses – by producing process steam, electricity or heat in highly efficient cogeneration plants.
In a demanding process, refuse-derived fuels as well as commercial and construction waste, are obtained from pre-treated waste at our processing facilities. The recyclable materials are separated and returned to the substance cycles as secondary raw materials. High-calorific fractions are processed into a high-quality substitute fuel, and substances which are not suitable for material recovery are prepared for thermal treatment. The result: a real win-win-win situation.