Photo courtesy of Ragn-Sells
Swedish environmental company Ragn-Sells' new facility, Solvent Recycling Solutions (SRS), is set to be officially inaugurated Sept. 3 at its Högbytorp recycling plant, just outside Stockholm. SRS is a joint venture between Ragn-Sells and environmental technology firm Vilokan.
Ragn-Sells says the facility has the capacity to process up to 20,000 tons of solvents annually, including substances such as acetone, ethanol, methanol and glycol—chemicals that currently are produced primarily from fossil resources. The company claims that by processing these substances, they can be reused in the production of cleaning agents, disinfectants, windshield washer fluids, glycol-based products and more.
“If we’re serious about building a sustainable society, we must reuse the resources we already have over and over again,” says Erik Gustafsson, business project manager at Ragn-Sells. “This is a major step towards a more circular economy. By recycling solvents instead of incinerating them, we can reduce climate impact by up to 87 percent.”
Ragn-Sells is responsible for collecting solvents from industrial clients, while Vilokan’s subsidiary, Arom-dekor Kemi, will manage the sales of the regenerated products.
Ragn-Sells says the Sept. 3 inauguration will bring together about 60 invited guests.
The project is a collaborative construction effort between Ragn-Sells, Vilokan and AF Bygg Syd. The energy required for the process is supplied by a pellet boiler that produces steam.
“Combining our technology and expertise with Ragn-Sells’ extensive knowledge and broad collection network allows us to create new products from what was previously considered waste,” says Lars Rosell, deputy CEO of the Vilokan Group. “This is a tangible example of how we help our customers achieve their environmental goals.”