Case study: CleanR Verso’s Construction and Demolition waste sorting line in Latvia

In 2023, Latvia changed its environmental legislation, which more than doubled landfill fees. Thanks to the local government, recycling became more favorable, and both incineration and landfill dependency declined, making it easier for circular companies like CleanR Verso to succeed.

The resulting surge in available industrial waste required an improved approach to waste management. In response, they collaborated with Azortum to develop an advanced sorting line for construction and demolition waste in Riga.

Azortum's engineered solution now enables CleanR Verso to process up to 25 tonnes of mixed industrial waste per hour and aims to handle 50,000 tonnes annually. The sorting line efficiently separates materials into specific fractions, including concrete, wood, textiles, and plastics.

We conducted thorough testing, pushing the line to its maximum capacity to ensure it performs safely and efficiently. These tests guarantee that the customer can confidently rely on a steady throughput of 25 tons per hour over the year, knowing the system is built to handle real-world challenges easily.

The new line also meets strict environmental standards, which supports Latvia's new recycling demands and the option to scale the throughput.

The project presented multiple challenges, notably the need for robust conveyor systems capable of withstanding continuous heavy-duty waste loads. The input material includes diverse materials such as concrete, wood, and plastics. The increase in waste volume, driven by legislative changes, required a reliable and efficient setup.

To meet these demands, Azortum engineered a turnkey solution. A heavy-duty feeding conveyor transports materials to a vibrating screen. Waste is separated into distinct fractions, which allows for more controlled processing. Certain fractions are directed to air separators for finer filtration, while others are manually sorted to ensure quality control.

This is mainly done for stone fractions intended for reuse, where the aim is to thoroughly clean the stones, making them suitable as filling material for roads and underlayers. Additionally, we ensured that oversized material, over 180 millimeters, was evenly spread. This makes it easier for the manual workers to sort the different fractions into their designated bins.

The site was installed in the open air without a building cover, which exposed the facility to harsh winter conditions. This environment required installing a fog system over the screening system and loading points to effectively suppress dust emissions from the line. This aimed to create a cleaner and safer work environment and reduce particulate matter that could impact surrounding areas.

What makes this line innovative is the absence of a shredder. Without this high-power component, which consumes large amounts of electricity, CleanR Verso saves significant energy.

By skipping this initial shredding stage, the system conserves energy and produces cleaner outputs. Without the shredder, there is also less fine dust and particles, which are often found in processed materials. As a result, the purity of the final product is also improved.

Another beneficial feature is the intelligent absorber, which we integrated into the vibrating screens. The absorber uses a compressed air system to absorb the shocks from vibrations, resulting in smoother operation, less wear on components, and a reduced load on the foundation. This design contributes to the system’s overall durability and longevity, which is critical for continuously handling heavy-duty industrial waste.

The new sorting line developed by Azortum has successfully transformed how construction and demolition waste is processed in Latvia.

CleanR Verso can now ensure the highest quality materials for its clients while efficiently handling the waste available on the market.