THE FUTURE OF RECYCLABLE MATERIALS

SUSTAINABILITY AT THE LOACKER GROUP

THE FUTURE OF CLIMATE PROTECTION

The Loacker Group is a leading player in the European recycling industry. Our core competence, recycling valuable materials, enables us to make a significant contribution to climate and environmental protection.

The 2 most effective ways to reduce CO2 emissions and achieve positive climate effects are the conservation of natural resources and the generation of energy from recycled materials. Therefore, we focus on optimisation along the whole value chain. In this way, we achieve an efficient recycling of our materials and fully exploit the potential for greenhouse gas savings. With our state-of-the-art facilities, we are taking this optimisation even further.

We take pride in our responsibility to limit the consumption of natural resources.

THOMAS LOACKER

Head of Marketing & Sales, Member of the Board of Management

“Our core competence is to contribute to the protection and preservation of the environment by recycling valuable materials every day. At the Loacker Group, we place great emphasis on recycling materials, which puts valuable waste back into the material cycle. All this to protect our most important resource – the resource of the future.”

MATERIAL RECOVERY AS THE BASIS FOR RECYCLING

At Loacker Group, we place the greatest emphasis on recycling materials. At our headquarters in Vorarlberg, 79% of the materials generated were recycled in 2022. This means that recyclable materials are collected, sorted and processed for use as secondary raw materials. Our modern facilities and short transport routes already ensure that CO2 emissions are minimised in this process. Professional recycling and careful sorting are crucial for high material quality and further recyclability, which is why our staff and processing facilities are always kept up-to-date and technically advanced.

In doing so, we meet our commitment to give as many recyclable materials as possible a second life by reintroducing them back into the material cycle.

As a result, the materials returned to the recycling loop from Vorarlberg in 2022 and the use of these secondary raw materials in Loacker Recycling’s post-production processes will save a total of 6,300 GWh of energy consumption compared to the use of primary raw materials.

years of experience in recycling

Material recovery

Cumulative energy savings through material recycling

Rounded figures, values for Vorarlberg (AT) are valid from 2022

BIOGAS, VORARLBERG, AUSTRIA

The future needs green energy. Loacker Recycling is already actively contributing to the production of environmentally friendly energy from recycling cycles.

At our headquarters in Vorarlberg, Austria, we are closing an important resource energy gap for households and municipalities by recovering the energy content of collected biowaste in the form of CO₂ neutral biogas.

“As a recycling company, sustainability is a priority for us. That is why we are constantly looking for ways to actively contribute to the environment. One such way is to generate energy from our own biogas plant. By using biowaste as an energy source, we reduce greenhouse gas emissions, as biogas production is CO₂-neutral.”

Richard Gutensohn

Material Flow Manager Bio, Construction and Landfill

ENERGY AND HEAT LUSTENAU

Our biowaste digestion plant in Lustenau now produces 30 gigawatt hours of biogas per year. The energy from the biogas is used to generate electricity and heat from renewable sources, and part of it is fed into the public gas grid.

The heat generated is used to meet our internal heating needs and to supply our customers in Hard via the local heating network. This means that around 1000 households can be supplied with electricity and 2100 households with heat using biogas.

BIOGAS – TO PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT

Our alternative energy from the biowaste digestion plant is 100% renewable, CO₂ neutral and therefore truly sustainable and environmentally friendly. Loacker Recycling is thus one of the largest renewable energy producers in Vorarlberg and contributes significantly to the energy autonomy targeted by the province.

How is our biogas produced?

Organic waste of plant and animal origin, i.e. green plants, food such as vegetables and meat, sugar and fats, decompose (depolymerise) in solid or liquid form. The biogas produced from this decomposition is processed and can be used for energy production, with the same purity and energy content as conventional natural gas.

How does a biogas plant work?

In a biogas plant, microbial decomposition takes place in a so-called fermentor (a large tank under controlled conditions). In this process, the processed (impurities such as packaging, glass, metal, etc. have already been removed) and liquefied biogenic waste is broken down and degraded by bacterial cultures in a controlled process. This process produces so-called biogas, which can be used directly or processed to natural gas quality and then used to replace natural gas.

Turning waste into sustainable energy

Biowaste is converted into biogas in a biogas plant and used for energy production. This means that biogas is a substitute for fossil energy sources – which is why biogas plants are also considered renewable energy.

Biogas as a CO₂-neutral alternative

The combustion of biogas is CO₂ neutral because the biomass (plants, etc.) sequester exactly the amount of carbon dioxide during their life cycle that is released during the thermal conversion. This means that biogas does not cause any additional CO₂ emissions. If the biogenic waste were composted, the same amount of CO₂ would be released, but with a slight delay.

SUSTAINABLE FREIGHT TRANSPORT

Az elektromos járművek ésszerű alternatíva

Mi a Loacker csoportban folyamatosan dolgozunk szállítási rendszereink optimalizálásán. Mert felismertük az ökológiai potenciált saját magunk és áruink mozgatásának módjában, és arra törekszünk, hogy azt teljes mértékben kihasználjuk.

A cél elérése érdekében az egész Loacker Csoport számára elengedhetetlen a fenntartható közlekedési útvonalak használata és fejlesztése.

Götzis-i központunk ártalmatlanítási tanácsadói a terepen az elektromos autókra támaszkodnak. Évente akár 50 000 kilométert is megtesznek, ezért az elektromos autók ökológiailag ésszerű alternatívát jelentenek a hagyományos autókkal szemben. A CO2e is megtakarítható, és a környezet is megkönnyebbül.

Környezetbarát szállítás és CO2-csökkentés

Az ausztriai Vorarlbergben található központunkban a vasfémhulladék, a színesfémek és az újrahasznosítható anyagok egy részét vasúton szállítjuk a jobb kihasználtság miatt. Csoportunk több telephelye is hatékonyan tudja kihasználni ezt a szállítási módot a vasúthálózathoz való közvetlen csatlakozás révén. Így csak Vorarlbergben 2022-ben mintegy 930 tonna CO2-egyenértéket tudtunk megtakarítani a dízelüzemű járművek használatához képest. A németországi és magyarországi kikötőink a tengeri szállításhoz is hozzáférést biztosítanak számunkra.

Azonban nemcsak az optimalizálás, hanem a szállítás elkerülése is hozzájárul a CO2-kibocsátás csökkentéséhez.

A Loacker csoporton belül saját hulladékkezelő létesítményeket használunk, így nincs szükség a legközelebbi alternatívához való szállításra. Vorarlbergi székhelyünkön például évente mintegy 3.500 tonna CO2e-t takarítunk meg.

Fenntarthatóság a helyi közlekedésben

A helyi közlekedésben is dolgozunk fenntartható közlekedési megoldásokon. A gázüzemű teherautók növekvő használatával a vállalatcsoporton belül védjük a környezetet és CO₂-t takarítunk meg. Az első gázüzemű teherautókat már üzembe helyezték a götzisi központban, valamint a Lindau-i Fischer Recycling és a donauwörthi (Bajorország) Loacker Recycling vállalatoknál. Az új teherautók a Scania Euro-6-d osztályú gázüzemű teherautói, ami jelenleg a legszigorúbb kipufogógáz-kibocsátási szabvány. A gázüzemű teherautók vezetési viselkedésük, teljesítményük és megbízhatóságuk tekintetében semmivel sem maradnak el a hagyományos dízelüzemű teherautóktól, és megbízható kikapcsolási asszisztenssel vannak felszerelve.

A tehergépkocsi gyártója szerint ez a motortípus akár 90%-os CO₂-megtakarítási potenciállal rendelkezik a dízelüzemanyaghoz képest.

A felhasznált gáz más szennyezőanyagokat, például a nitrogén-oxidokat vagy a részecskéket is jelentősen csökkenti. A kén-dioxid és a koromrészecskék szinte teljesen elkerülhetők. A dízelmotorokhoz képest további előnye a lényegesen csendesebb működés, amely akár 50%-os zajcsökkentést is eredményezhet. A gázszállító teherautók tehát értékes hozzájárulást jelentenek a Loacker Recycling környezetvédelméhez és fenntartható gazdálkodásához.

By e-car every year

CO2 savings from rail transport

CO2 savings through own power plants

Rounded figures, values for Vorarlberg (AT) are valid from 2022

SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTS, LÄNDLE ERDE

Ländle Erde was developed at our headquarters in Vorarlberg, Austria, and represents sustainable production and regional added value. Therefore all raw materials are sourced from the “Ländle” region. Whether you are a hobby gardener or a professional gardener, with our range of soils and soil mixes we aim to offer local quality products to meet the most diverse needs. The demand for quality and provenance is felt from the very first steps of the process.

FROM THE REGION FOR THE REGION

Anyone who, like Loacker Recycling, is committed to the recycling of recyclable materials and thus to the future, will inevitably be concerned about renewable energy. For us, energy production from alternative sources completes the logic circle around the renewability of all kinds of recyclable materials. Loacker Recycling already operates nine photovoltaic power plants with an annual yield of around 5 gigawatt hours.

All Ländle soils are produced and mixed at our soil plant in Lustenau, Austria. This is based on high quality compost using only green waste from the region. Together with other natural ingredients, it is used to produce various products of the Ländle Erde range. The use of local raw materials in our soil ensures a better environmental balance through short transport routes and keeps the added value in the region. This way of working closes the nutrient cycle and creates a sustainable end product. We want to express this basic idea with our slogan “A piece of Vorarlberg”.

In cooperation with nature

With our expertise, we help nature to shape the composition to get the soil that best suits our needs. When you choose Ländle Erde, you choose the following:

Regional added value
Less CO₂ due to short transport routes
Flexible transport options and volumes
…and many other advantages!

LKW entlädt Minicontainer mit Rindenmulch

THE RIGHT SOIL FOR EVERY NEED

All Ländle soils and soil mixtures are produced strictly according to the Compost Ordinance and ÖNORM S 2210: Compost soils and compost substrates (2019 edition). This standard applies to the development, production, labelling, description and application of compost soils used in garden and landscape construction. We only produce and use green waste compost of A+ quality class, which is also certified for organic farming.

Quality compost A+
Landscaping soil
Gravel Lawn Mixture
Bark mulch
Extensive and intensive Roof soils
Reclamation substrate
Topsoil filter
Garden, lawn and raised bed soil

Solar Panels

Anyone who, like Loacker Recycling, is committed to the recycling of recyclable materials and thus to the future, will inevitably be concerned about renewable energies. For us, energy production from alternative sources completes the logic circle around the renewability of all kinds of recyclable materials. Loacker Recycling already operates nine photovoltaic power plants with an annual yield of around 5 gigawatt hours.

The Loacker Group operates photovoltaic power plants in the following countries