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Edible fat residues are the cause of a sensitive and often recurring problem. Most of the grease that enters the pipes from the different catering establishments together with the wastewater accumulates on the walls of the pipes, clogging them and causing accidents in the sewer network. Starting to process grease waste would reduce these accidents in Vilnius in the long term, according to the company’s press release.
“Restaurants, cafes and other catering establishments often simply dump the fat generated during production without an alternative. If we collect and recycle this waste, the catering business would have the opportunity to act responsibly and contribute to the preservation of the cleaner environment around us ”, says Marius Švaikauskas, General Manager of Vilniaus Vandenys.
Currently being calculated is how many catering establishments could add used grease, how much would be collected, and an assessment of the equipment available and its capacity. According to preliminary calculations, without additional investment in equipment, about 12 cubic meters could be recycled daily. meters of collected fat and water mixture. Over time, the figures would rise to 500 tons of processed fat, from which more than 410 cubic meters could be extracted. meters of biogas and additionally produce around 1000 kwh of electricity.
At this stage, not only the benefits of the project are considered, but also the control mechanisms: how to prevent the entry of inappropriate waste, such as lubricants or other petroleum products, into the process and ensure that the incoming grease is free of impurities additional. The study indicates that to effectively manage flows, it is necessary to offer the market a complete grease trap service with the elimination and use of the waste generated.
“By starting to implement this project, we would not only develop sustainable activities, but we would also obtain economic benefits. By processing the fat residues in our sewage treatment plant together with the sludge, the amount of biogas produced would increase, which would allow to reduce energy costs, ”says M. Švaikauskas.
Vilniaus Vandenys does not incinerate the sludge generated in the wastewater treatment plant, but rather recycles it and uses it to extract energy. Sludge processing in thermohydrolysis plants together with fats, which yields up to 50-70%. Some companies in the UK and Norway use more biogas.
The company is currently implementing renewable energy projects covering several different areas: the sludge management process is being rebuilt according to the principles of the circular economy, it is planned to install a small hydroelectric power station in the sewage network and a hydraulic turbine in the water supply network. It also invested 700 thousand. euros to the solar collectors, which will be installed on the roofs of the buildings belonging to “Vilniaus vandenys”.
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