In Romania, Sigurec is an acronym meaning “for sure recycled, for sure economical.”
This is a unique innovative solution for packaging and electric and electronic waste, that is automatic, recording in real time all data about the waste collected, and giving out shopping vouchers as rewards for people using it.
The project, implemented by Green Group, represents the first modern and automatic infrastructure for selective waste collection in Romania in order to encourage collection directly from the individual consumers and ensure that all separate collected fractions go straight to the recycling plants.
Green Group – who we are
Green Group started its story in 2002 and, since then, it developed into an integrated group of companies which today offers a multitude of closed loop solutions for collection, logistic, recycling and re-manufacturing based 100% on waste, becoming the first industrial recycling park in Romania. Green Group is now the biggest integrated recycling park in South-Eastern Europe, integrating the operations of six companies specialized in collection and recycling of waste.
- Greentech company – the most important plastic waste recycler in Europe and an important manufacturer of PET strap (strapping solution as an alternative to the metallic strap) and r-PET granules (food grade and non-food grade), with a processing capacity of over 100,000 tons of PET bottles per year
- GreenFiber International (manufacturer of recycled polyester fiber in Europe)
- GreenWEEE International – recycler for electrical and electronic equipment, the only company in Romania and one of the few in Europe holding WEEELABEX standard for four treatment flows. It is a European certificate that sets a strict set of rules on the collection, logistics and treatment of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE)
- GreenLamp Reciclare – a recycling plant for used lighting equipment, and Greenglass Recycling – one of the largest glass waste recycling plants in South-Eastern Europe
- Total Waste Management, dealing with collection and logistic, the “capillary system” collecting and feeding with more than 30% of the material consumed by the recycling companies in the Green Group.
The group owns recycling installations in Romania, as well as in neighbouring countries: Serbia and Macedonia. With a consolidated turnover of EUR 90 million in 2015 and more than 1,900 employees, the group is a major player on this specialized market. By integrating the operations of all six companies, Green Group is able to close the recycling loop and save resources and energy, with installed capacity of recycling over 300,000 tonnes annually.
Photo 1: Automatic bottles sorting lineat Greentech
As promoters and believers in the circular economy, Green Group created the right incentives to encourage recycling, by investing in collection infrastructure.
Sigurec – Eco-innovation
The system is part of the voluntary agreement signed in 2012 between Green Group, the Romanian Ministry of Environment and Forests and AMRCR (Association of Big Retailers in Romania) with the purpose of prevention and reduction of waste generation, stipulated in the environmental legislation in force.
Total value of the investment in this innovating collection system exceeds EUR 10 million, of which EUR 4 million is from the Innovation Norway financing scheme. The project created more than 260 jobs.
Photo 2: Baled material (PET bottles) feeding point in Greentech
The project is intended for citizens, offering the possibility to manage their waste in a responsible way through simple operations, turning waste into resources. Everyone who uses Sigurec system is rewarded with shopping vouchers.
Sigurec solutions
Sigurec offers various collection solutions:
- Sigurec Prime – automated stations located in the parking lots of supermarkets
- Sigurec In – machines located inside stores
- Sigurec Mobil – a service for collecting waste from home
- Sigurec Bags – collection via bags, directly from the source
- Sigurec City – a collection station specially designed for the integration in the proximity of residential areas and schools.
Currently, Sigurec solutions are present in the biggest cities in Romania, via partnerships with retailers and through the direct collection service.
This unique integrated automatic infrastructure, with a modern sensor-based technology makes possible the innovation in resource-recovery. At the same time Sigurec offers transparency and accurate data, as it measures real input parameters and reports online the collected quantities, motivation for the consumer to collect and recycle, safe transport of waste, and maximum traceability – straight and documented flow from generator to recycler.
How it works
Sigurec stations integrates several machines which identify and record the waste brought to the station and reward the users automatically with vouchers issued in the form of discount coupons, available in supermarkets. More than that, the voucher represents a guarantee that the waste is registered and will reach the recycling factories.
Sigurec means:
- Collection of over 10 types of recyclable waste – packaging, paper and cardboard, lighting equipment, batteries and all type of WEEE
- Automatic technology for waste collection
- Latest innovation technology for instant recognition of each type of waste, allowing to detect material, shape, size, colour etc.
- Transparency and traceability of 100% for the waste reported to authorities
- Reward-based system – offering vouchers that can be used in the supermarkets
- Smart design and interactive interface for a friendly collection experience
- Mobile solution – collecting at your door – an application developed by Green Group
Anyone who uses Sigurec can join the Smart Recyclers Community by downloading the Sigurec app and monitor the recycling performances. It calculates user contribution to carbon footprint cutting according to the quantity and type of waste recycled with Sigurec’s help.
Sigurec project has an environmental impact – aim at safeguarding the environment, an economic impact – major investments which stimulate the local, regional and national economy, and a social impact – creating and maintaining hundreds of jobs.
