More than three decades ago, Andrej Mesojedec s.p. started the production of woven bags for packaging fruits and vegetables in Slovenia. The company, Plastika Andrej Meosojedec, soon grew into one of the biggest producers of packaging materials and over time became one of the most recognized European specialized packaging companies.
It provides packaging solutions for the market, food, cosmetics, pharmaceutical and industrial sectors and the factory in Ljubljana delivers products to Eastern, Western and Southern Europe.
Of course, the packaging manufacturer also accumulates a large amount of waste in the production. For a company that holds an environmental management ISO 14001 certificate, it is important to be in line with the framework and to have a structured approach to waste management. In collaboration with Interzero, waste consultant and Orwak distributor in Slovenia, the waste streams were evaluated and it was determined, how the waste types will be treated.
Created their own recycling station
Interzero recommended the Orwak multi-chamber baler with four chambers, one for each fraction of waste, to perform the waste management assessment. Subsequently, due to the variety of waste, an additional three-chamber baler was installed at another location in the production.
Klemen Humer, specialist for technical solutions at Interzero Slovenia: “We are happy that Plastika Mesojedec recognized the many benefits a baler brings in the production. By using the Orwak 9020S and adding more chambers, they created their own recycling station. Foremost, I praise their system for separating waste plastic film by type and composition, which significantly improves further possibilities for recycling and reuse.”
A cleaner and safer workplace
Plastika Mesojedec, as a production unit, must have a well-organized and frequently inspected working environment and the company also puts great emphasis on the safety of its employees. Choosing an efficient waste handling system was a natural decision and a sustainable waste management solution to create the internal recycling point with the Orwak multi-chamber baler.
The multi-chamber baler sorts and compacts a wide range of materials in one place. It can be extended with as many chambers as there are types of recyclables or waste. Large bale chambers are the right solution for the stream of multi-colored plastic waste. The baler itself has in a way become a storage for waste and saves precious space in the warehouse.
60 % space saving in the warehouse
“In the company, we have several types of waste, which we separate according to the further sorting principle. We decided to buy a baler when establishing the baling area in the production, for the simple separation of waste types in different chambers, and above all because of the significant volume reduction when the waste is compacted into bales. In regard to storage area, with this new waste management solution we saved more than 60 % warehouse space compared to the cages we used previously. We must also compliment the excellent support from the Interzero team for the baler business and regular services“, Director Andrej Mesojedec concludes.
Many advantages perceived in the production plant
Bales simplify waste management. Logistically, it is much easier – both for the internal staff and for the collector – to handle compact bales instead of bulky loose waste. Thanks to the compaction, the collection frequency decreases. Thereby, the company saves costs and lowers CO2 emissions, which is an important environmental advantage.
An alternative to the baler would be the installation of containers or container compactors, but this would not allow sorting of the material into clean fractions for recycling. This Orwak baler is equipped with two chambers as standard, but additional chambers for each material can easily be added to create an internal recycling point. It is both effective and convenient for sorting, compacting and disposing of waste and recyclable materials directly at source.