The wheel of time turns at a staggering pace: something that is classed as modern one day is often thrown on the scrap heap the next. In this section, we will provide profiles of innovative enterprises, detail the latest technological accomplishments and give you an insight into the factors that could potentially impact our industry in the future.
Oeko-Service Schweiz AG
The heart and soul of the latest technology – refrigerator recycling at Oeko-Service Schweiz AG
An ultra-modern facility combined with ambitious environmental goals, traceable transparency at every step and a great deal of heart and soul produces impressive and innovative results in the recycling of refrigerators. We visited the new Oeko-Service Schweiz AG facility and are impressed with the huge accomplishments that have been made in our small country.
The proper disposal of broken refrigerators is vital for the protection of our environment. Using the latest technologies, CFC emissions are being reduced to the greatest extent possible and valuable raw materials are being recovered. Oeko-Service Schweiz AG is currently considered to be outstanding in the field of refrigerator recycling. The recycling enterprise strives to apply the same high quality standards in the dismantling of refrigerators as those used in the manufacture of new products. You only need to visit their facility to quickly see that this is no empty promise.
Using a two-stage system, all refrigerants from the cooling circuit and propellants from the insulation are collected and all of the recyclables are recovered and returned to the production cycle. Quality and safety – the guiding principles of the company – are prioritised at every stage of the dismantling process. This is evident both in the presentation of the clearly defined and well thought-out processes, the friendly ambience flooded with natural light, and in the clearly documented transparency of each work step.
For example, the viscous oil and coolant mixture in the compressor is heated by means of an induction heating system on a robot arm so that every last drop of coolant can be removed from the compressor – this is very helpful, especially in winter. The propellant and refrigerant, both of which contain CFCs, are continuously weighed using a set of scales. This provides assistance in the important monitoring of the processing process. Last but not least, a large level indicator can be used to quickly and easily ascertain the amount of CFC-containing medium contained in the high-pressure tank.
Oeko-Service Schweiz AG is the official SENS recycling company for good reason, as it has also been awarded the RAL Quality Mark for the dismantling of refrigerators containing CFCs.
We are proud to be able to name innovative companies such as Oeko-Service Schweiz AG as our waste disposal partners. And the icing on the cake for us in terms of innovation is the fact that the company is headed by Christina Walter – an ambitious, strong-minded and clever superwoman who puts her heart and soul into environmental protection and the search for increasingly innovative recycling processes and solutions.