Ukrainian recycling company develops equipment to sort waste using near-infrared light

Ukrainian recycling company Prodecologia was the first in Ukraine to start making waste processing lines that use new near-infrared (NIR) technologies. 

Rubryka reports, referring to the report of the head of the Rivne regional state administration, Vitalii Koval.

What is the problem?

Ukraine's Ministry of Environmental Protection estimates that half a billion tons of waste are generated annually in Ukraine, over 90% of which is sent to landfills.

Landfills have long since turned into ecological disaster zones. In some countries, they are even prohibited. With the war in our country, the amount of waste has increased even more.

The Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources, Ruslan Strelets, said Ukraine should eliminate landfills, replacing them with waste incineration and processing plants. The initiative needs appropriate equipment. 

What is the solution?

Rivne City Mayor Oleksandr Tretiak reported that Prodecologia received state aid through an interest-free loan to develop recycling equipment in the northwestern city of Rivne.

"Currently, Prodecologia is unique for Ukraine. No one is developing equipment with this technology in our country," " Vitalii Koval commented. "Only some companies abroad are engaged in this production. To date, the enterprise has created 190 jobs here. Despite the war, they export products to more than 40 countries worldwide."

How does it work?

Mayor Koval added that this tool is promising for solid household waste processing and sorting. Production lines remove the remains of building materials, paper, bottles, and polymers, separating them from unrecyclable waste.

Photo: Rivne Regional State Administration

The near-infrared light determines and sorts different types of waste into chemical components in different directions, separating all the recyclable raw material that can later be reused.

For example, the equipment processes electrical and electronic equipment waste for these materials to be reused and the same equipment to be produced.